Wings of A Warrior
by Scattershot98
Summary: What if there was someone who can make a change, Someone who has nothing to lose, but fights still. Meet James Draekon, a warrior for humanity who lost his way until He went home. Orphaned by the fall of Shinganshina, & dealing with the struggles of his own mission, James enlists in the 104th. There he meets a quiet, mysterious girl like himself..with some secrets of her own.
1. 1:The Fall: Homecoming

**I own nothing, except my OC of course. I just wanted to write a story that follows** **MOST of the Attack on Titan universe from the point of someone who could make quite a difference, should he choose to. This will be an adventure/Romance story, with my OC being paired with the mysterious Annie Leonhardt. There will be a few points of view from the cadets of the 104th in here of course, but they will not be huge parts as this is my first time writing. I've read all the manga to chapter 91, so beware there will be spoilers to those who haven't read it to that point. Reviews are welcomed and encouraged.** **There will be some changes that many will not expect, and nor do I intend to make my character a Mary Sue, but merely a vital part of the story.** **Let us** **begin.**

 **PS. Alright, this is a second author's note since this is now going on Ao3. I've gone over and revised the chapter as best i could, and also expanded it as well. I will be doing this with all stories that I post on Ao3 before I also put the revised chapters on Fanfiction where I do most of my writing as well. Here's to you all taking the journey this story will present should you follow!**

 **Shinganshina, year 845. Early morning.**

' _Ah, the wind.'_

He _loved_ the way it felton his skin, especially on his wings. The feeling of being able to escape anything, to fight anything, to be above his problems... like it always had. _'It_ _makes me feel free.'_ he thought, humorless in his musings. But He would never be free, not really. Not from the Walls that surround him, from the mission his parents destined onto him, his past.

And certainly not from _them_.

"Them" being the Titans, massive unsatisfiable humanoid creatures with no motivation other than to consume human flesh. They wandered around mindlessly outside of the three walls humanity had constructed in order to survive. No one knew of their origins, or so it seemed to most of humanity inside the walls. But some did know where they came from, the "king" himself, the silent bastard. Those deluded people of the wall cult who knew of the real mystery of the Walls they worshipped like gods, but chose to keep humanity blind...and finally, his parents.

James held back his emotions, ' _not now, I'll be seeing them soon enough_ '. He hasn't spoken to them since they told him what they wanted him to to do, what they wanted him to become. Something a child shouldn't be forced to become, and yet, in this cruel world, did. "Become a warrior, a savior to our people, and the innocent in the walls. You must James, because You are the answer. You can change all of it." And on that day, nearly 2 years ago, he had run from them, his parents and his younger sister, Eve. He just couldn't handle it. His mind, though exceptionally bright, understood the weight of what his parents had taught him all these years, and yet...refused to accept it. He never wanted the weight of the world on his back, even today he still didn't. But he was wiser now, those 2 years had worked both miracles and horrors on him.

He understands now, that he had been somewhat selfish, but he knows what he needs to do now. For all the good it did him, he reminded himself of what his mission was. And who he had forced it upon. He had hated himself afterwards, for abandoning them, for leaving her behind. He knew she would probably be given his mission in his absence. He knew and stayed away, so he had forced that upon her like his parents had done to him. Because He was just _too fucking afraid_ to go back. ' _But no more_ ' he thought. _I'm going to do it, I can't let her hold the burden my weight any longer. She's too innocent, she doesn't deserve to be put through that'._

He had reached the top of the wall by then, just near the joining of the city of Shinganshina to Wall Maria. A massive 17 meter tall, with strange scaly skin like armor, but still humanish in shape form crouched upon the wall. It was near dawn, so the shade helped hide his huge body. He could see the sun rising in the distance, but at the rate it was going compared to him, he had nothing to worry about. But anyone who could come close would see the details: the long but muscular arms, strong legs with toes that ended in large talons, Scaled spikes jutted out from his skin at his elbows, and along his back in two rows along his spine. His wings tucked into his arms, almost as if they didn't exist. Which when he needed to fight in hand to hand, didn't. It let him keep them hidden as a trump card in a fight or desperate situation if need be. Though he's only fought mindless titans which didn't require them, and his parents who already knew how to counter them being used.

The strangest part about this odd creature, was it's head. It looked like a humans in general shape but lacked real lips, so it appeared quite predatory. His teeth, which interlocked were shaped in a cone like fashion lined top and bottom on his fearsome maw. They were sharp, but more meant for crushing and holding onto whatever had the misfortune of winding up between his Jaws than tearing, although tbey did a great job at that too. He didn't have hair, per say, but a mane of small fleshy appendages like dreadlocks, that covered from his nape. They hung loosely around him but also could move as if they had a mind of their own at times, like snakes. It depends on whatever mood he was in, but they weren't a distraction in the least since they were a part of him. His eyes were also unique, a pair of vertical slit pupil eyes like a serpents, bright electric blue with tinges of green at the edges. He scanned the area for any of the Garrison,(the wall guards) or any inhabitants of his home town. ' _Nothing_ , _this'll be easier than I thought_.' James thought before making his next move towards his home.

With one final sweep of the surrounding area with his piercing eyes, James extended his wings and dove off slow and quiet as he could for a being his size. He flew silently towards the bottom, landing with the grace of an angel in the midst of a cluster of trees which blocked him from being seen by anyone. Though the scene before him was calm, relaxing even, it did little to calm his nerves. He shed himself from his Titan form's nape, watching it already burn away into nothing before setting out. He pulled his ripped cloak he's been using to keep warm up to cover his head, to hide himself from any who may have been near the forest. He made his way towards the town having to pass under the inner gate first which was open at this time of say for merchants and the like going about their daily lives. Remembering the shops, the markets in which he visited with his family to buy food and supplies, he began to refamiliarize himself with the area. After all he's been gone for two years, and many things can happen in that time. _'Still, home_ _hasn't_ _changed much_ _has it?_ '. He walked for nearly another 3 blocks, passing by mothers with their children, father's laboring and carrying crates before he finally saw it.

A large house for the city, for sure, but still somewhat rundown despite James knowing the inside was much tidier. Some small broken trees stood out front, reminders of the fighters that lived inside. A large garden and yard, where he had leaned to fight. He hadn't ever been told why, but had obeyed his parents words. _"One day, we will tell you son, we promise. But until then, please just listen to us. You will thank us"._ In retrospect, they _were right,_ but they had assumed he would be thankful _on the day_ they told him, not _two years after_. _And now the moment has come...it was time to see them again._

He knocked on the door, 3 small hits. Though they were quiet, he knew they would hear him. After all they were early risers, and since he was raised under their roof so was he. As he heard footsteps approach the door, he cleared his mind for whoever he was about to see first. The door opened, and a man appeared in the crack of the door. He had slightly black hair, but really it was dark brown. Lines on his face that told of many years of hard work, and pain. But his eyes stayed the same, though muted a bit. The same piercing Yellow-brown eyes, that could stare directly into one's soul should ever meet. Or at least, that's the aura he always felt seeing them while growing up. They looked at him with confusion, and he had not known why at first.

' _My_ _hood',_ he realized after a moment. Slowly, to not startle his own father, he drew it down with both hands, before looking up. He saw the eyes widen, pupils opening with a rush of emotions, life itself seemed to flow into them. The man froze, opening the door with a slightly crazed fashion, before embracing his son, one he thought he had pushed away, who he had thought hated him. _He actually came back._ He held him there for another minute, shaking a little, before he could hear his wife's voice calling him.

"John? Are you alright, who's at the do-" before she stopped, taking in the sight before her. She stood for a moment in shock as well before her eyes began to water, as she realized her son, _her little James_ had come back. She rushed forward and grabbed him into a fierce hug. Her eyes closed, her head buried into his other shoulder, she wept with tears of joy. " _You're back..."_ heard his mother whisper as she choked back happy cries.

James heard a sweet voice, one that could sound happy no matter the situation. " _James?" He_ looked up and saw Eve, she had grown nearly 4 inches form the last time he had seen her at 4'4. Her curly hair, once so short, now reached halfway down her arms. She looked stronger than he had last seen, meaning his fears were real. ' _She did take my place, I made her into this. Oh god, she must hate me for this. I forced-'_

But as James looked on, he saw no hatred, no disgust, no contempt. Quite the opposite, in fact. Her eyes were shining like it was her birthday, like she had been granted the best wish she could have asked for. And he knew why: He had returned to them. He began to make a watert smile of his own before his mother, Selene spoke to him. "Come James, lets talk inside." Nodding his bead slowly, James walked in with his mother leading him while his father closed the door first bedore following too.

For a few hours now, they had talked to each other, James listening and once or twice asking a small but important question. How things had changed in his absence. He was told of how Eve became a warrior in training, nearly as good as he had been before he left. James tried and tried again to apologise to her, for forcing her into this life choice. But surprisingly, she told him of how she had been _inspired_ by him. She wanted to become a warrior not only to protect those inside the walls by her own choice, but to find him and bring him back home.

He was rather touched at the dedication in which she spoke, it reminded him of how he had felt when he first started training. James thought to himself, _'This wasn't what I prepared for, but I'll welcome it. It's almost what I wish it could have been like. It was happiness, it was_ _family_ , it was...

 _But it was not meant to last..._

 ** _CRAAAAACCCC-BOOOOM!!!!_**

A massive explosion made them all fall forward from their seats, and some of the furniture shifted a few inches from their original spots. They all got up and looked outside, confused as to what had shattered their heartwarming reunion in such a shocking way. The family stepped outside and saw donzens of other people looking shocked and rustled, but noticed a great deal of them were staring up at something, towards the outside of the district. And there it stood, a massive hand gripping the top of Wall Maria, red and skinless. A head looked over the _top of_ the wall, which stood at _50 meters high,_ which means the being looming over them was at least 60 if it was visiboe to them _. A_ Titan, skinless , a look of guilt on its face. A monster that reminded the Draekon family of their purpose, their mission.

The very thing they became, that they fought, stood before them. It seemes to look down and hunch forward, and the Draekons all realized it was bringing its foot back. A massive **BOOM** sent chunks and debris crashing in all directions, including the home James just returned to. He grabbed his sister and pulled her close, dashing to the ground before a chunk of the wall crashed into his home with enough force to cause more stone and earth to rise.

Dirt and dust had been thrown into the air, and as it cleared, James froze at what be saw where his home used to be. Lying underneath the rubble, with bloodied faces, were _his parents._ His father looked at him, sadly, but with the air of it being akin to that of a family member not visiting for a planned dinner instead of being at death's door. His eyes told him what he had to do, what he had been afraid of as a child. "Be the one who can change all this, James...take care of her...please that's all I ask. Your mission is...* _cough*..._ _second_ , only to _her_. Keep her safe, _You need each other_...I'm sorry son, I failed to act.."

James frantically spoke to hus dying father, refusing to believe that he couldn't do anything "No I _failed_ , Dad let me help you! I can...I can-!" But his father closed his tired eyes slowly, for the last time. James couldnt move, but remembers his other parent was still alive and he vould try to save her. His mother was crushed underneath rubble as well, but with a broken yet determined face, pulled him close with a shaking hand. " _James_ , my _little James._..I'm sorry. For all of it, the _pain, the training, the responsibility_...but there's one last thing I must tell you, but you will hate me for it." James quietly told her "never", because no mstter how much hr hated what they've done, they were still his parents.

"You know our secret, but you must not tell anyone else, _ever_. They'll _hate_ _you, despite everything you do for them_ , there will be those who don't _want_ to understand. They'll try to kill you, because they _f_ _ear you_. And I know..." She winced as gasped in pain, her hand tightening around his own as she gasped, trying to catch her breath before continuing. "...that it will be too much for you to face on your own. But _We are always on your side James...always..on...al-"_

Her voice became more and more quiet until it went absolutely silent, and James mother knew no more.


	2. 2:The Fall: Armored

**Thank you for your reviews, love your stories, and hope to see more! For future reference, James Titan will have vocalizing sounds to communicate with other shifters. Look up Godzilla 2014 and the M.U.T.O.S way of communicating. That is how James will "talk" while in Titan form to other shifters. However while speaking this way, their voices aren't exactly the same as their human forms. James will have the Erens roar from the english dub, while Eren shall have the Japanese roar. Just so there's no mixup with their unique sounds. This chapter will take place during the fall of Shinganshina and James trying to get his sister out of the city. Events will try to stay canon, but there will be heavy divergence after the Female Titan arc. It will mold into my own story while keeping some manga events. Reviews are welcome, let** **us begin.**

James stared at his parents, their broken bodies laying limp and cold beneath the rubble. _'I... I just came home, this can't be happening, we were just talking about me trying to help out Eve. They can't be dead. They can't be dead. THEY CAN'T BE DEAD-!!!!!"_

He tried to hold back the tears, the scream of rage slowly building from within, but he still failed to. Looking up to the sky, he let loose a miserable scream of rage and pain, before realizing his sister was silently sobbing next to him. Her crying face brought him from his own mental calamity as he then realizes he still has his sister. _He isn't alone._ He has to clear his head, and follow his parents last wish.

 _'I_ _need to get her out of the city.'_ he thought as his mind went ro the more cool state of thinking tactically in such a dire situation. After all, that's how he had been raised to be. There was no doubt there were titans streaming into the city as he sat there mourning. ' _Dammit_ , _I need to be strong, for her. Focus on getting her out of here!_ _I have to transform again and get her through the inner gate!_ ' Quickly forming his plan James tried speaking softly to his younger sister, trying to appear to her as if she could depend on him once again. And she sure as hell could in this situation.

"Eve, listen to me, _we have to go_. But before we do tell me, did...mom and dad, did they teach you _thought-speak_? Were you able to speak with your titan like I told you about?"

She sniffled a bit and wiped away some of her tears with a hand, and nodded. "A little, but I'm not able to speak back using it. Mom said she could never hear me whenever I tried..." Eve started to tear up again seeing both of their parents corpses less than an arm's length away but James grabbed her shoulders gently but with a firm grip to kerp her attention on him instead of _them_. Time was of the essence and he wasn't one to waste it. "Hey, _hey, listen_. We're gonna make it out of here ok? I'll get us out of here, I _promise_. But some of these people might need our help, do you understand?" She nodded, and he stood up away from her.

"Stand back." He said and she retreated about a meter or so away to not get caught up in the blast. He bit his palm, and a small burst of lightning hit him. A massive skeleton formed first, and then flesh began wrapping around the bones to form more of the shell as James was then out of sight in the nape. Eve stood shocked, she knew he could transform at will, but she had never seen his Titan before. Their parents always took him far away when he went to go train by himself, just like they had to do with her because mom explained they couldn't be seen by other people. Sometines be was gone for a long time, but then she would see him again and feel better. Eve did wonder why mom and dad never made ber stay away for a long time, but she wont be able to ask them anymore. That thought made her sad, but E e knows that they have to keep kiving, for mom and Dad's sake. But seeing her big brother's titan form made her gasp at how different it was from her own.

It stood there with a strong crame at nearly 18 meters tall, a mane of fleshy appendages curling and hanging from his head, moving as if they had a mind of their own. It sort of reminded her of worms coming up from mud during a rainy day, or snakes stirring from sleep. She saw that his sharp dagger like teeth, barely concealed behind small lips, could certainly crush anything on her own Titans body since she possessed no armor like her dather or James did. His claws on his feet and his hands made her think James could be a ravenous predator even to something as dangerous or large as a Titan. His eyes though, shocked and kept her in place.

Two bright electric blue eyes, with _vertical slits_ stood there watching her intently. Almost as if he thought she would run from him like this. He waited, smjust looking at ber for some sort of reaction but she could tell him what she thought of his titan later. Shaking her head, Eve walked up to his extended palm, and held on as he raised her to his "hair" where she grabbed on to his dreads. A few of which seemed to curl around her protectively, and she couldn't help but smile at her brother's cautious nature. It reminded her of long ago after he came back from his first few months of transforming, how he seemed to always be on guard whenever they were just alone or away from home in the city doing some errand. As she stood next to his thick scaled neck, she saw the giants wandering about their now invaded hometown, picking up people left and right bwfore devouring them.

As James had feared, Titans were in the city. His appearance hadn't been a surprise, the people around him thought he was one of those streaming inside. Which means he could in a way drive them towards safety if he approached any mindless from behind before dealing with them in order to get the civilians moving faster and with backup to support them which he would provide. He looked around, and saw two children heading closer to the breach, a girl and a boy, both with dark hair and probably no older than he was. _'Dammit, what are they doing?!'_

He took off after them, running into a small 8 meter Titan. Wasting no time, James grabbed both of it's arms and tore them from their sockets leaving it helpless, before he clamped his powerful jaws on its nape and crunched hard to destroy the weak spot. He looked back up and ahead, the two children had stopped at a home where a massive chunk of the wall had landed. They were trying to free someone, most likely a parent, as James heard the boy scream "MOM!!" As he heard the cry James began to move much faster than before. He just lost his own mother, but this kid didnt need to lose his if he could do something to prevent it.

As he neared them, James saw a 10 or 11 meter Titan with a large unnatural grin looming near them. He took off sprinting closer to them in order to get there before that monster did, and saw something that urged him to move even faster. A Garrison soldier had began to charge the beast with his sword drawn, but most likely due to fear, turned tail and grabbed the children to their protest, taking them to safety. James was already on their location by now, and went past the trio as he saw the Smiling Titan pick up the rubble surrounding the trapped woman. It reached for her, but a hair raising shriek of defiance made it look up just in time to see a clawed hand stab its way into it's skull from its eyes and nose area. James tore it's head from its body, seeing the body fall and carefully grabbed the woman. Maybe a but younger than his own mother, but she too had dark hair in a ponytail to the side. She looked up in fear of his scary appearance and shock at what he just did despite what he was.

 _'D_ _id a Titan just kill another Titan?!? I've never beard of such a story, and ive definitely never heard of a titan that looks like this thing!'_ Carla Jaeger thought in panic and confusion and saw that a small girl younger than Mikasa stood hokding onto its weird "hair". Carla believed the girl could also be a person this mysterious titan saved. The creature in question began to pull her out slowly, as if not to hurt her from the rubble, before it ran after Eren and Mikasa who were srill being held by Hannes as he ran then towards the inner gate. ' _It's helping me, a Titan helping it's prey!'_ she thought as the massive beast held her in its palm gingerly, as if fully aware of just how fragile she was compared to it.

James had caught the Garrison soldier who stood paralyzed in shock, as he lowered Carla Jaeger to him. The man held her bridal style, since she wasn't able to walk much less run because of her injuries. Her legs were still hurt, but they would heal hopefully. Eren stood, staring in confusion at his unlikely hero, a Titan with such a bizarre appearance. It wasnt attacking any of them, and ibstead kooked around like a protective guardian. He looked and saw a girl sitting there on it's shoulder, holding on as if she's done this before despite this bring the girl's first time doing so. The Titan gestured for her to get off and go with their group, dince they were closer to the gate and other titans slower made to follow, but she refused by shaking her head at the creature.

Huffing in annoyance, Eren saw that it then proceeded to follow them all the way to the gate. There the guards and been about to open fire with the ground based cannons, although they hesitated because of the civilians and felliw member of their regiment in the way. But to their amazement, it seemed the weird... _thing_ was actually _escorting_ _the_ _family_. It lowered itself to a knee, and deposited a girl, no older than 8 to the guards from its shoulder. While the family and soldier were thankful to the mysterious savior, they continued through the gate to the boats to get away. Eve decided she would not leave her brother, no matter what he said. So she pretended to head through as he watched before staying near the doorway once ge turned away to defend the evacuation exit. She hid back as people rushed past, trying to get through the gate to the inner wall and the boats on the other side.

Guards had begun to lower the gate, afraid of Titans getting through, which prompted the James to eliminate the Titans getting closer to the gate. He made sure to weave around and avoid any citizens fleeing around his or other titan's bodies, and he made sure each steaming corpse he created was tossed onto a building to burn away instead of blocking the route towards safety. Some people stayed away from him outright, thinking he was some sort of threat while others saw him killing the mindless chasing them and realized he wasnt going ro harm them. The fighting continued to rage on, James using quick but effective attacks to eliminate his foes as quickly and carefully as possible to make sure he didnt out others at risk with his actions defending them.

He rose, having just finished brutally killing a pair of 10 meters, when he heard a massive BOOM. Then another, and another, which meant they were actually _footsteps._ And whatever was causing them was big, maybe his size but definitely heavier. Everyone froze, and listened, including James himself, as they continued to come closer. And from behind a building a titan nearly as tall as James, maybe a meter or two shorter, came out and into everyone's view.

It had a strange armor covering nearly every part of it, including it's face. The armor looked sturdy, maybe even strong like his own but definitely not flexible like his. It was different, this other shifter looked more of the heavy hitter yet slow kind of foe. But there were red parts between the armor where flesh was exposed for articulation, _vulnerable_ places James may need to focus on should it come to a fight. ' _It's_ _clearly a shifter, titans have no uniqueness like that unless there's a human inside. That's what Mom and Dad taught me when figuring out the mindless. I might be able to talk to whoever's inside'._ James stood, letting loose a set of calls and growls. " _W_ _ho are you? Why are you here?''_ The Armored Titan stood there for a moment, almost shocked that it had been spoken to. Had it never met another of its kind before? Or maybe it just hadn't expected James to speak to it before doing anything else.

' _Another shifter, here? We were told they killed our people inside. Maybe it's here like me.'_ The person controlling the Armored thought, and called back in a low groan of it's own '' _I'm here to help my people. They are outside the walls suffering because these cowards refuse to help! I have no choice, I must break the walls to save them."._

James couldn't believe his ears, this newcomer was possibly in an alliance with that colossal titan which started this whole mess and got his parents killed. In a roar of defiance, James spoke back in a rage " _You're killing innocent people! Stop this Now! Or else I'll force you to stop!!"_ The Armored stood there and narrowed golden it's eyes at the declaration, before roaring back in anger " _You wont stop me from saving my people, I have no choice. The wall must fall!"_ Growling, it then took a running stance, a straight line maybe a hundred meters between the gate, itself and the shifter before him.

" _If you don't have a choice in this, then neither do I. I'll give you one last chance, Stop this or else."_ James snarled out at his opponent as he took a fighting pose he taught himself while in his self imposed exile. Slightly crouched, with both hands held in front of his chest, claws wide open. ' _Now_ _or never, it's time to prove myself a warrior.'_ He let loose a chilling growl. The Armored Titan held similar thoughts, though grudgingly, and growls out " _So_ _be it"._ Resolved, knowing neither was going to back down, they readied themselves. Both fought for their people, just on different sides of the spectrum. Both Warriors, and unwilling to back down.

With one last roar of defiance, the two charged each other. The earth shook, as the monsters barreled towards each other unopposed, with the same thought in their minds: _'I will not fail"._

 _And just like that, the world exploded._

 **And that's the second part of Wings of A Warrior. Tell me your thoughts. Sorry if the whole titan speak is an odd concept to handle, but it was something I wanted to try out. It' ll come in handy later in the Female Titan Arc and at Stohess. For James fighting pose, think of a mixture of black panther from CA: Civil war, and Annie's own fighting stance. James is a very proficient fighter, but he is not unbeatable. Reviews are welcome, and thanks for shout-outs on the stories I follow and review!**


	3. 3:The Fall Part 3: Mission

_Monsters_.

A subjective term, but relevant all the same. The world was filled with all kinds of monsters, some metaphorically in the minds of children and men alike. And some quite literally depending on the perspective. To the fly, a spider is a monster. To the mouse, a cat. They come in all forms, from the lowliest cat to the massive Giants waging war on each other in front of the Wall Maria gate. Earth and stone was thrown everywhere as they punched, kicked and threw each other into the ground or nearby buildings with the savagery of stray dogs competing for a slab of discarded meat. With their 15 and 17 meter frames respectively, armored bodied and glaring eyes, they were certainly monsters to those few who watched.

James had the upper hand, being faster and more agile, while retaining his armored hide. He could deliver more blows and dodge many just as easily. His opponent, while bulky and strong, also had the hardened skin to protect him. _His_ blows were destructive, but somewhat slow if too much power was put into them. They stood apart, catching their breath, glaring at each other in a temporary moment of rest. Both warriors fought to win, but they also didn't have the intention to kill the other. Something that both spared the two of them, and held them from winning and achieving their goals. The Armored Titan recovered finally and charged yet again, before James rushed forward and grabbed both of it's hands in his own clawed ones.

Both struggled to overpower the other, since they nearly matched one another in strength. James realised this however, and decided to let himself fall back as he let his body go limp for the most part. The Armored believing it had won, surgrd with pride at it's demonstration of power, but the thought quickly disappeared as James planted both of his feet on the Armored Titans chest, and kicked him quite a ways back into a building with considerable force. Rising slowly, James decided to take his opponents armor, to maybe spot a way to end this without bloodshed. ' _Wear him down, and strip him'_ He mentally chanted as he leapt forward, wrapped his claws around the armor surrounding the arms and shoulders and yanked hard, tearing them right off. Steam and blood was his reward as the plates were ripped off from flesh, and James knew he'd struck a good blow to his opponent.

The moment was shattered when the Armored Titan roared in anger, lashed out and kicked James hard in his left leg right on the kneecap, almost destroying it outright.

James felt the pain and fell to the ground crippled, but still tried to rise in defiance of the act. But he couldn't as he saw just how bad his leg was damaged. He growled in anger and let his foe hear his displeasure with a roar that those few garrison members who remained could definitely feel the rage behind such a sound. The flesh above and below his knee was torn and ripped, and small shards of bone came through some of the mass. Steam rose as his wound tried to repair itself as the blood flow lessened but still leaked. Satisfied his enemy was down for a few moments, the Armored titan then began to charge at the gate all while ignoring James roars. The Garrison had nearly finished the evacuation by this point, and were picking up the stragglers when they heard the massive footsteps running towards them. Because of the strange Titan's help all the civilians being evacuated who were able to be rescued were through along with most of the remaining military forces.

 _Or so it seemed._

Eve had been hiding in wait for quite a time now, ready to try and help her brother should he get hurt too badly by the strange Armored one who was invading their home town. She saw James leg get blown out by a vicious kick, and to her growing horror his attacker then got up and sprinted at the gate where she was hiding. Eve stood there frozen as her mind tried to process everything happening so fast, James falling to the enemy, said enemy charging towards her, and the fact that she still hasn't _transformed_ into her titan form.

' _Shift, Shift!! SHIFT!!'_ Her mind screamed over and over, but the change never happened. She had been overtaken by her fear of the Armored Titan who attacked their people, and seeing James get hurt. She had to save him, why wasn't she shifting?!

She stared as the beast in front of her came barrelling in with the force of a freight train at the gate. The last thing she saw was the Armored ones golden eyes as it had began to lower it's head to hit the gate, in order to shield itself from unnecessary harm. She stared at them in fear, and the Armored one stared back in a guilty determination. She saw the same look in them as she had seen in James, both back then and just recently when he returned this very morning. Which meant to her that it too had a mission like her family did. It was just a darker one, one that cost the lives of their parents, maybe thousands of people in the city, and in a moment from now, her own existence. She almost understood it in a way ' _A_ _nd yet_...'

The eyes would be the last thing she knew.

 _ **CRAAAAASHH**!_ The gate fell like child's toys to the sheer force of the blow. Stone and rubble was blown everywhere from the devastating impact of the head on collision, scattering it in every direction imaginable. Stopping it's momentum by flattening and pressing its foot into the ground, the Armored Titan skidded to a halt and stood. It grimly admired its handiwork on the gate before seeing a small corpse hidden under some rubble close to where it had stopped. It was a child, the same girl who had been frozen in place as he rammed the gate. He'd seen the fear in her eyes, but by the time he had looked, it had been too late. It wasn't as if he could stop his speed that close to his target, nor coukd he hokd himself back from succeeding in his task when it's already cost hin enough to not do it. Another part of himself that he hated, the weight of those he killed. He had a mission to complete, no matter the cost. That's ehat he told himself in order to stomach coming to this place to attack at all. He knew he had caused many deaths, along with the other two he had been allied with, but they hadn't affected him as hard as this girl's has at this moment.

While the others had run like animals from a fire, out of pure instinct, she had stood her ground. Trapped with fear, no doubt, but still she had stood her ground. _'What had she expected to happened? Why hadn't she run?_ _Why does it bother me so much?_ ' He _knew_ what this would cost him, but he _still_ couldn't help but feel saddened by her death. He felt like he had killed something pure for some reason, but that could also be said for the many others he passed on the aas being devoured by the mindless his Ally had let in. He began to turn and walk back through the hole he had made when a dark blur slammed directly into him, and knocked him down to the ground in such a manner that had he been in his human form he'd have been winded. He stood quickly, realizing the only thing that coukdve done that was his foe, and readied to fight.

But what be saw before him made him stop in his tracks, as his eyes looked over the tragic sight before him.

His strange opponent was now laying on his knees before the dead girl. Wailing in absolute misery, deep in some sort of anguish, then it began to throw the rubble from her broken body. He did so with the fever and frantic motions of a mother and her offspring when in danger. The Armored stood there silently, before it clicked in his head: _the shifter before him was most likely related to the girl...and he had killed another of his kind._ A tingle of fear ran down his spine, his _human_ spine as he processed that horrifying thought over and over again. He saw his enemy was _distracted_ and completely unaware that he was still standing there watching. _'An opportunity for me to slip away.'_ he thought of himself, now even more disgusted at what he had just done. He wished things weren't this way with every ounce of his heart and soul, but he must digress. Because things like this could not be undone, _especially things like death_.

Quickly and as quietly as physically possible he made his way through the city passing by sikent srreets and bloodstained homes and debris. Once he aas far enough, he left his Titan to hide in the safehouse the 4, now _3_ of them had agreed upon a few minutes prior at the top of the wall. ' _The others should be back by now'_. Almost on que, the door opened and there stood two people he's known for many years now, having grown up with then. A short girl with blonde hair, and almost bored looking blue eyes. Her look screamed apathy, but the boy knew better: it was her way of not feeling guilt as openly as be was right now, although she did despite not for the sane reasons he and the other boy did. The other tall, quiet boy with dark hair and eyes, openly showed his emotions. He had an open look of guilt and misery on his face because he had torn families apart with his actions today. Actions that could never be undone no matter how much be wished to atone for it all. But being the biggest of their titans, the heaviest duty of their mission fell upon him to breach the wall and begin the second oart of their journey.

"Did you...were you able to _do it?'_ the tall boy asked quietly, as if the dead around the now silent city could hear them. Or maybe it was because if he tried to speak any louder than the timid tone he used now, he'd begin to beg and sob for forgiveness for his sins today. Reiner replied, his voice heavy "Yeah Bert, I... it's, it's done. I... managed to do it.". The newly named Bertholdt nodded slowly at the news and rhe insinuating tone behind it. Sikence overtook them all as the weight if every word they've spoken so far truky began to settle on their minds

"Let's try and get some sleep, we're gonna need it in the morning. We still have a ways to go." the girl, Annie said to the pair with just as quiet a tone as Bertoldt, though she managed to keep her voice from shaking like the two boys had. Though she had no part in the actual attack aside from transporting them to the very wall that fell today, she felt guilt for being apart of this mission to begin with. But she knew what they had to do: infiltrate the walls, find the Coordinate, and return it to their village so they can fight the _real_ threat to their people, the _Haired_ Titans.

They appeared like massive monkeys, shaggy or drooping hair with long arms, wild eyes that showed some form of intelligence though it was always malicious in intent. And they were all usually in the 16 to 18 meter range, towering over most of the mindless titans that wandered this world.

This things have been at war with their people and the rest of the world, for nearly a century now. Before that no one really knew how long they've fought against them, but that part of the past mattered very little to those in the present. These creatures had the terrifying ability to turn normal humans into mindless titans to do their bidding. The only way a mindless could return would be to consume a titan shifter, hence the reason they ate anything that looked like a human being. Their kind had been fighting and keeping the Haired ones at Bay for over 2 decades, when a _new_ variant had appeared 5 years ago. One with the ability to speak. This had frightened their Warriors, as it displayed unnatural intelligence as well. Instead of ordering it's slaves to simply fight as most did, this Abnormal, that they had dubbed the Beast Titan because of it's devious behavior and appearance, ordered and led it's forces more effectively like a legion of troops.

Wiping entire Outposts and villages in hours as opposed to struggling for days like most conflicts between Shifter and Haired giant went, they lost more shifters in a month then they had in a year before the Beast Titan appeared. Desperate for a solution or aid of some sort, their people had sent Messengers to the king, an unknown shifter inside the Walls who held the power to command other titans. A power known as the Coordinate, one thst it was rumored came from the shifter's ancestor. Pleading to build massive walls as he had done nearly a century ago to keep the Haired Giants out, the shifter people prayed and begged for their very survival.

However the King _refused_ , and of the 3 shifters sent to deliver and plead only one returned, telling of how his comrades were executed without a second thought. A message to never ask again, to never make contact with the people of these three walls, or all out war would be waged on the shifters outside the Walls. And that's where _they_ came in, the three of them now sleeping in a basement to hide drom tbe mindless walking about the streets towards the newly opened inner gate. They had been raised to be warriors, sent to break the walls and retrieve the Coordinate from the bastard king by force. They knew what the cost would be in the end, but it was _this_ or complete Extinction for their people. Their home, Eldia, was the last of the shifter villages, though the largest and best defended. This was because the survivors of other raided or fallen ones came to Eldia in order to make it more guarded should the place be targeted next.

This is the world they live in, and ut is a very, very cruel one.

 _Back at the gate_.

James sat there still enveloped in his titan form, nearly a half hour after her death. He stayed and protected her body, so he could bury it when those around him had gone. The boats could only hold so many, and because he escorted people into the safety that used to be the territory of Wall Maria, there was a critical amount of people trying ro get to safety in an easy fashion rather than just walking towards the next wall. He kept hungry titans at bay, angrily slaughtering any who came near, much to the humans shock although they very much appreciated the protection. They had never seen a Titan fight its own kind before, much less over protecting humans. But they saw it mourning for the corpse of a small girl, crushed when the armored titan rammed the gate. The low wails and groans of pain issued from the creature pulled at the hearts as those in the boats evacuated. They wondered why it did such a thing, something so unbelievable.

The family he'd saved watched as the titan placed the girls body farther back, in a circular pile of rubble, before placing softened freshly dug earth atop of her. Eren had seen the worst of Titans, and even with the hatred he has for them, he felt nothing but pity and sadness for this one. It was different, it had _saved_ his mom, and even _escorted_ them to the gate. It had fought from what he had heard the Garrison soldiers saying to Mr. Hannes as they boarded. He still had his mother now because of _him_ , _it_ , whoever it was, but he saw their unlikely savior now in pain.

As their boat drew farther into the interior, he could still hear the wails over those on the boat. His adopted sister sat next to him, and told him " The world is a cruel place, but I guess even those who cause pain aren't immune from it."

"It was different Mikasa, you know that. It _saved us_ , he _saved_ mom" Eren protested. "We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for that thing. At least show some sympathy for it!" Mikasa was about to retaliate, when she sighed and said "Your right, but we both know it's not like this is how they are. They _eat us for no_ reason. I'll feel something for this one, but no others."

Eren told her "I wouldn't expect you to, I just think we owe him that." The two stayed silent, sailing into the nighttime. The wails could no longer be heard, but Eren hoped that the strange Titan wasn't dead. ' _Maybe it could help us, maybe it could be on humanities side_ '. His musings led him to fall asleep beside his mother and sister.

By this point it was already moving into the dusk and night time hours, and many titans were now slowing down because of the lack of sunlight. But still there were many trying to reach the further interior where the humans had fled. James made her a small tomb, feeling empty inside. He had retrieved his parents bodies before they could be eaten, and layed them in their own graves. _He_ _failed again_. He didn't shift in time to save his parents, and he hadn't been fast or strong enough to stop the Armored from crashing the gate. His emotions were starting to overcome his mind, he wasn't thinking clearly. _'Failure, it's my fault. It's **my fault** , they died because of ME!!!' _Roaring, he slammed his arms against the ground, breaking his hands. As they steamed and began to regenerate, a manic thought crossed his mind, a mantra : ' _The_ _mission, I still haven't failed that. I WON'T And I'll **KILL HIM!!** '_


	4. 4:Training-New and Old

**Interesting last chapter huh? Now, the Fall arc has ended with a few major events, starting with the death of James parents, the rescue of Carla Jaeger, the Battle with the Armored Titan, to the final blow with the Death of his sister Eve. Also a look into the infiltrators minds during these events, as well as the mention of their own struggles. The Coordinate, to those who read the manga, will be different in this story. It will not be an acquired ability simply by consuming the person who currently holds it. It will more or less be an ability that is able to manifest itself in a shifter through extreme mental ability alone though there _are_ requirements. Eren will still have it, but he will not have it as a complete power. The King will be no longer have it, since the last king to have it actually passed away. James will display a level of the power himself. It will be like the Titan speak, but works to a degree on mindless titans. Now that _thats_ out of the way, we shall begin with the first chapter of the Training Arc. James will be introduced to all familiar characters, as well as James surprising connection to one of them from his past. The reveal may come as something of a shift in relationship from the tags, but i still will have the story pair him with Annie. And while I think I've rambled enough, one last thing: At the Female Titan arc, Annie will NOT be stuck in the crystal. I've seen too many fics where it's happened and the story ends. I want her to go on living with the rest of the world. Still wish she would actually return in the Manga, but until that happens, I'll keep hope. Let us begin...**

 _ **104th Training camp.** **Year 847**_

It was about mid-day, the sun blazing overhead a training camp where dozens of newly uniformed teenage boys and girls stood in rows neat and orderly. All of them held their arms crossed behind them, eyes staring straight ahead of them while subtlety eyeing those around them. James stood with the other recruits, in his own row where he had only a single person in front of him. That meant he had a pretty good viewpoint of the others across from him although none behind him.

Meanwhile the instructor, a mean eyed bastard by the name of Keith Shadis walked up and down the rows before returning to the very center to be seen on all sides. Occasionally he would call out a name, in which the terrified recruit would state their name and their place of origin. They varied from all over, from other Maria districts to the lands within Wall Rose. But what really caught James attention was that some were even from his home town. They were the ones who held his interest from the beginning, because they might also have been people he's helped save or saw him that day. James had been quite observant of them so far, but he was taking notes of all these people. After all He was going to be training with them from presumably 3 years if the information he received at the recruitment office was legitimate.

He had seen a tall boy with freckles and a chipper smile on his face crumble underneath Shadis's intense gaze. A small, blonde boy with long hair claim to be from Shinganshina as well he wasn't very athletic looking but he still seemed to hold his ground when interrogated. He also saw the _same boy and girl from that family he_ _saved nearly 3 years ago._ The ones who went charging towards the breach and almost had their mother taken

 _'Hmm decided to become soldiers? But for what reason exactly? To actually contribute to fighting the Titans? Or just for the benefits and safety of the military police_?' Just as the freckled boy Marco and the weird faced one Jean as he remembers had stated before suffering the Instructor's wrath. The sudden replay of Jean getting head-butted brought a small smile to his otherwise blank face.

' _Or_ _are they here like me, for joining the scouts in order to try and retake home? I guess I'll find out now.'_ as Shadis stopped in front of the boy with the green eyes and brown hair. "Cadet, what is your name?" The boy stood proud with a reply of "Eren Jaeger, from Shinganshina Sir!"

" Is that so... well why the hell are you here maggot!?" Shadis yelled right back in reply, and James waited to hear Jaeger's response. The guy's eyes practically burned with determination and hatred, as he answered "TO DRIVE THEM ALL OUT SIR!!!!" Many of the other recruits likes at him strangely, somewhat due his answer, to the hatred in which he said it. But James knew why he spoke with such passion, he knew the boy had nearly lost his mother before his eyes until James in his Titan form had saved her. Eren didn't know this, but maybe he would be able to answer a few questions later. James was actually curious as to what the boy thought of him, or at least of his Titan considering he just declared he basically wished to exterminate the mindless. As the instructor began walking among tge recruits once more, James looked across the faces in front of him, with a few that stood out caught his eye.

A tall blonde haired guy who looked stronger than most of the people here, but at the same time for some reason _reliable_. A shorter bald kid named Connie Springer, who didn't even reach James's shoulder. The guy who Shadis has held up by his forehead for saluting on the wrong side. While it was amusing from a certain view, Janes jnew thw guy was probably embarrassed for getting something so basic wrong on the very first day. James was then looking at at a blonde girl with a very bored yet fierce look on her face, when he heard a _crunch_ a row or two over and in front of him. Looking around, it seems that everyone had heard it, and was looking at the source. There from his view stood girl with familiar reddish long hair, tied in a pony tail held a potato in her right hand. She seemed to have a build that seemed more fit than most here, due to years of some sort of training.

James had a sudden feeling he knew _exactly_ who it was, and had his thoughts confirmed when Shadis yelled at the girl to state her name. "Sasha Blouse Sir! From Dauper village Sir!" James wasnt able to hear all of the conversation, but watched in disbelief, much like the instructor did, as she then held up a chunk of her food to him as an offering of sorts. James wanted to facepalm as Shadis then threw it down and stomped on it. He then told her she would get no dinner and to run till she drops, which unfortunately meant quite a dew hours because of her stamina most kik being bwtter than anyone else's here with the exception of James himself. He felt pity for the girl he treated like his sister years ago, after all she had helped him so much in his down times. ' _I should sneak some food from dinner to her during the night. I owe her that much at least._ '

James sighed, he knew what he had to do, but he just needed to know when. He hoped he wouldn't get caught, but should he stay undetected then hopefully it would come off as a nice surprise for her. He hadn't introduced himself openly to the others as he hadn't been picked, so she didn't know he was here. Nor would she have any reason that he would, after alk he doesn't wven know why _she_ joined. James wondered how she would react to him being here as well. Sure it might be a shock, but if food was involved, he knew she'd be more than happy to see him again. _'Time to see if that appetite has died down yet'._ The answer was most likely not, but hey people can change in auch drastic ways over the years or if certain things happen to them, and he was no different himself.

As she went about jogging around the camp,James was once again drawn to look at the small blonde. He couldnt explain why, but something about her has peaked his interest more so than the others. She hadn't introduced herse since Shadis walked by her without so much as a word, so he didnt know her name nor her place of origin. In a way standing there he couldn't help but think of himself, because the girl seemed to just be the silent but observant type. She almost acted as if she didn't want to be here, which puzzled him since a few had decided to leave, and yet she hadn't. Which prompted the obvious question to his mind _'So why join? If you're that disinterested then why not just leave like the ones who aren't cut out for this kind of life?'_

As they were dismissed, he saw that while other recruits joined to talk to each other in order ro make driends or allies at the very least, James not included at the moment, she walked alone without a glance towards anyone towards the mess hall. She gave off an aura of _'don't piss me off or else.'_ as she did so, but James can usually see right through people. He had plenty of practice while living on his own for nearly half his life, all it took was looking into the eyes of your target and reading their body language. She was here for another reason then, if she wasn't as gung-ho as the rest, much like himself. He could tell from the way she held herself, the way she acted to those who few who he saw tried to engage her in conversation onlt to be ignored. The _determination_ to not be held back, even by something that was as harmless as emotions if you could control yourself.

He knows all too well. So he was going to of course be the one to try and be her friend.

 _'Maybe I should go talk to her where there's bot many others around. For some crazy ass reason she could just be shy._ _But she's got my attention_.' He waited as she strayed a ways behind in order to not be caught in a crowd, and James also slowed his pace so he wouldn't be surrounded by others. His chance came and he began to walk up to her, casually so he doesn't come off as threatening or anything like that. ' _Well here_ _goes nothing'._

He called out to her. "Hey!" Annie had been walking alone as the cadets were dismissed and socializing as they made their way to the cafeteria when a voice called out from behind her. She'd only seen one other person hold back from being with the rest, so it must've been him. She turned her head to glance at him and took in his appearance. He was taller than her but not at Reiner or Bertoldt's level, then again no one in this place seemed close to his colossal height. He had dark hair but blue eyes which was a first for her since anyone she'd ever met with blue eyes was a blonde like herself. His eyes themselves didn't seem to hokd anything she'd be disgusted with such as perversions nor greediness. No, his eyes told her that he was just genuinely interested in talking with her, although she doesn't hold that much interest in getting close with anyone else aside from her partners. His body was definitely fit, strong like Reiner's but also limber like Bert's. He might be one of those in this class that would be highly proficient at being a soldier in her and her fellow warrior's time here. Now that he had caught up with her he asked a simple question. "Hey do mind if I join you?".

She shrugged not seeing the harm in doing so, although she wouldn't be actively seeking friendship, and they began to walk towards the mess hall. "My name is James, James Draekon. Yours?" Annie debated internally for moment about whether or not she should talk with him, but figured it wouldn't matter anyway since they were both going to be training alongside one another fro the next 3 years, unless he were to leave.

"Annie Leonhart." She replied with a bored tone as they keep walking, and the silence was broken when he asked another question. "So why are you here?" She replied with her bored tone with the cover story she and the others bad agreed upon in order to help them succeed with their mission of infiltrating the interior. "The Military police". James chuckled, and she raised an eyebrow at him. What was funny to him? James then spoke again "Good one, but why are you _really_ here?". The small amount of patience she had for dealing with this guy was rapidly escaping her as her eyes narrowed.

She snapped back " Are you deaf? I already told you." James held his own against her glare, but his eyes bore right into hers. Annie found herself mildly impressed that be held his ground where so many others has submitted or just avoided confrontation with her. But his defiance also still annoyed Annie since he still called her out on being a liar without any hesitation, which told her that he was good at reading people. And for her, that wasn't something or someone she wanted to associate with.

Annie was about to tell him to piss off for wasting her time, when he said in a more neutral voice "I _know_ when someone's lying, especially to me. I can tell by your eyes that you're here for something. Something _important_ to you. I know the feeling all too well." Annie replied with venom in her voice. "No, you don't. Don't act like you do. You'll just find yourself disappointed." How dare he compare himself to Her? She was alone in this aside from her fellow warriors, the people of the walls seemed completely ignorant of the outside workd where the Hiard Giants roamed and attacked on a whim. He knew _nothing_ of ber training nor her purpose for being here, hiding among them holding the guilt of her and her comrade's actions 2 years ago which brought hell all for the sake of retrieving the Coordinate.

She was already walking away, when he mumbled something that made her freeze in her tracks completely "Tch, I guess _Warriors_ aren't that common." She turned, and was about to ask him just _what_ he meant by that, when he spoke again in a more composed and remorseful tone of voice. "Look, I'm sorry if I was bit rude or blunt. I can see you don't want to talk right now, so I'll leave you to your vices. I'm not asking for a life story. I was just curious about you, and I hate being lied to by anyone with a passion." His sudden change in attitude caught her off guard, but still she asked him a question.

"Then why are you talking to me?" Sure at first she wanted nothing to do with him, but Annie was still eager to understand why he had used a term not very many knew the true meaning of. At least to those inside these three walls. His reply is calm, but with a hint of interest in it. "Because the truth is nice sometimes. If you ever want to talk, I'm all ears. But don't say I don't know what it's like. Just as much as I don't know you, you don't know a thing about me. The difference is I'm _interested_ to know who you are, can and I'm _willing_ to share. Don't be afraid to do the same. Who knows, I might just _surprise you_."

With that he walked off, leaving Annie with a few suspicions that stayed strong in her head. _'He's got interest in me? Why? I haven't done anything to gain his attention. And WHY did he say Warriors? It's not like he's...one of us. They forced us all out, there weren't any left inside. He can't be, right?'._ Annie scowled, the boy had come to her asking questions and yet she was the one left with more questions than answers. _'I have to know'._ She decided, planned on talking to him tomorrow, since tonight would seem like she was desperate or suspicious to him. Like there was something to hide. But while there is things for her to hide, he doesn't need to try prying for them.

 _'Who are you James Draekon?'_


	5. 5:Training- Reacquainted and Introduced

**Glad to see positive reviews coming in, hope you all like the story so far. As I said before there will be canon diverging, but it will still try and stay close to the actual story as possible. However the way things are about the outside world to them after they discover whats in the basement will _not_ happen. I liked it, but felt it made the story more depressing, and supposedly there won't be that many more issues (or so I hear). So I'm making my own take on what they find,(like that hasn't been done before lol) and it will hopefully be as good as I think it will be. But I guess I'll hear your thoughts on it when the time comes. So I will try and make this story quite long. I personally love longer or ongoing stories, so I'm trying it out myself. With the rate things are going now, chapter size and such, I'm looking at maybe 60-80 chapters total before I end it. there I will do some Eren x Annie stories as they are my favorite pairing. Also, I want to know how much I should update this story. I read A LOT, and also feel the need to write alot since I have alot of spare time. So should I update every day, or 2 days? I'll try to make the chapters long. I really want to get this story out there, because I have some brainstorming problems sometimes, but a general outlook on how I have the story planned. Tell me your thoughts. So, the training arc will be longer than I thought, I thinking about 8 for it alone. There will be done major things that happen, such as James's link to Sasha, the beginning of his friendship to the other cadets, their overall training, and finally his and Annie's progression. So, Let Us begin**.

 **Well well, after many months I've decided to revise and somewhat rewrite this story in the sense of putting what i wasnt able to back then when I first began writing. So this authors note for 12-11-18 is just to let you all know why it seems the first 4 chapters (five atter you read this) is different in both length and style then the rest of the story uo to the late 90's chapters. Well you can akso find this on Ao3 as well under the same name. Welcome newcomers and those who've decided to reread, welcome back.**

 _Training- Reacquainted and Introduced._

Dinner on the first night was quite an energetic one in all honesty. Despite the intimidating entrance many of the cadets seemed to be in good spirites as they talked with one another or in larger groups, getting to know their fellow trainees.

James had been eating with the other cadets for about an hour now, also learning their names and what they were like as best as he could. Making friends seemed pretty straightforward, though he didn't talk as much as they did since he hasn't had much experience with this sort of interaction. After all a good portion of his life was solitude due to his training and orphanage. He was still enjoying himself though, but when the conversations started to go a little more personal, he retreated within himself to avoid talking about it.

Talk about their homes, about their families and how they were doing. Reacting to them joining the military. James didn't like talking about his past, because he still felt guilt for what he had done, or really what he failed to do. So he tried as best be could to go unnoticed during these particular talks, and hoping they won't ask him next. He decided to take his mind off the matter and keep on learning about them. Out of the many people around him, there's a distinct few who stuck out in his eyes. There was a small but very sweet and kind blonde girl named Krista, who reminds him of his sister. She was being flanked by the tallest girl in the cadets he's seen so far with no last name, called Ymir. She didn't seem all that bad, though she was a bit sarcastic even for his taste and seemed to be a bitch at first glance. She also appeared a bit protective of Krista for some reason. Maybe she liked her or something.

There was the shorty Connie Springer who shadis had held up by the head earlier, who talked alot and didn't seem to be all there sometimes. The tall muscular blonde named Reiner Braun, who seemed pretty likeable and, true to his thoughts earlier, was reliable from his personality. Bertholdt was a tall and quiet guy like himself, but he still enjoyed talking. Particularly with Reiner, which lead James to think they mightve known each other before joining.

The guy Jean, who got headbutted earlier was talking to the chipper guy with the freckles Marco, if James remembered correctly. Apparently they were still holding some sort of vision of life as Mps, which didn't concern him since he was set on being a scout and a fighter rather than just living a boring cozy life doing nothing. James had a few things on his mind to think about, from talking to those around him in order to not appear as some sort of hermit, to somehow sneaking food out to give to Sasha.

And finally _her_. Annie Leonhardt.

He was interested in who she was, and also whatever she was hiding about herself. He _knew_ that she was hiding something because he was doing the _same thing and knows_ what it looks like doing it. The careful looks around one's self, being quite to not draw too much attentionJames told about himself to those who asked sure, but he didn't dare tell them _what he was_. He couldn't be found out by these people, because they'd only see him as a monster. And while James was more comfortable knowing he was one in a way, he didn't want to be a liar. It was quite an odd way of seeing things, but James leaned from his parents firsthand that he _hates_ liars with a passion.

The thought still nagged at his head though, _'I know the act, I play the part of tge normal guy, but why does she?'_ James mused. The very person on his mind had sat at the table opposite him, next to a girl with dark pigtails who wasn't intimidated by her surprisingly when everyone else seemed to be. Mina, a nice girl but a little too talkative for James taste.

There was something about Annie, something that reminded him of himself. More so than just the hiding one's true self part. _'She's... different from the rest, but how?_ _I can't figure it out, but then again we just met and hour ago.'_ James made a quick moment of eye contact with her, and to his surprise, Annie did the same. They both stared until they realized they were _still staring_ , in which she blushed slightly and turned away. James lowered his gaze quickly, his own head getting clouded with thoughts of what just happened.

' _Ok_ , _now_ _**that** was unexpected_ , _why'd_ _she blush of all things? She seemed pissed off earlier_. _I_ _t's not like she...likes me? Nah, why would she, we haven't even talked before. That's crazy.'_ James shook his head before a new thought came to his attention: ' _Then_ _why_ _**did** she blush? She didn't seem interested in anything earlier. Was it something that **I** said? I mean, I know I offered to talk if she wanted, but_ _it couldn't have been that big of a thing to her...could it?_ '.

He peeked his eyes up, she was trying not look at him. While she wasn't looking, he took the time to observe her more. ' _She's a little shorter than me, at least by half a head. She looks strong for her size, probably trained before coming here.'_ Her blonde hair was at least shoulder length, but she had it in a bun at the back, so he couldn't be sure. Her nose, while prominent, suited her face quite nicely.

' _Hm, she_ **_is_** _attractive_ ' He thought, but he didn't actually know what she was like. In that first talk just about an hour ago she had seemed bored, or at least to those who glanced once and didn't care to know. James had looked her full in the eyes and seen how she looked when angry. But when he apologized, she had seemed stunned for some reason. Why would she be so surprised? ' _I mean, I acted rude and apologized for it, but why would she look more stunned at the 'I'm sorry?'_ _than me calling her a liar?'_ Shaking his head slightly, he decided he'd try again tomorrow, maybe try and not be so...direct. ' _Who knows, she might come out from that mask._ '

Right now, as the bell rung to signal the end of dinner, his thoughts changed to someone else: Sasha. He knew she'd been running for at least 2 hours or so by now but she might've stopped. Clutching his portion of bread and meat in his left hand, he waited for the rest to drift out before joining them in the very back. Once he was certain he was alone, James began to walk towards the path she would cross in her run around the camp. He sat on a large enough rock and waited for her to pass by. Unbeknownst to him however, _another_ person was also clutching a portion of bread and staying farther behind for potato girl. The blonde doing so was surprised someone else had stayed behind for her, but wanted to wait first. After all she hadn't talked with this one at dinner.

James ignorant of the presence of the other, was deep in his own thoughts _'This'll_ _be one helluva reunion, hopefully she'll be awake enough to know it's me instead of just accepting the food out of exhaustion'._ And right on cue, Potato girl came out from the dark, her tired form being revealed by a few nearby torches and lamps scattered about the camp. Sasha Blouse walked slowly, breathing heavy and panting from the exhaustion and collapsed on the ground. 3 hours, 3 _whole hours_ she'd been running. As much as she wants to just sleep right here on the ground, something she could smell called out to her and made her stomach growl with the ferocity of a rabid wolf.

 _And it was coming closer!!!_

James had already gotten off his seat and started towards her once he saw the girl drop to her knees. When he was about 7ft from her, she suddenly tackled him like a wild animal with quite alot of speed and strength for someone who just appeared to be on the verge of passing out. Growling and grabbing for the food, the girl seemed to be in a food frenzy since she didn't even react to him.

He'd been expecting this, but she still surprised him. Already knowing where this was going, he wrestled her right back. They rolled around like wolves, James snarling right back at her as they struggled for the food, for him out of good fun but her for a crazy sense of hunger. They rolled for another minute before James pinned her, although she had the food clutched in her left hand, not a portion dirtied by the pair rolling around on the ground. As Sasha began to realize who it was that had brought her food, another voice called out to them, startling them both out of their mock fight.

"Hey, stop it you two! Did you guys hurt each other, _did you?!"_ James looked and saw the short blonde with the sweet, happy demeanor, Krista looking at them in shock. Apparently she'd been watching them fight for the food now in Sasha's hand. Her concern was nice but unnecessary since James would never actually hurt Sasha, and they've done this many times before playing around. Though it has been a few years and to any who didn't know the relationship between the two , the scene would've seemed... oddly intimate.

Before James or Sasha could answer another, more sarcastic voice said "Well what do we have here, my dear Krista watching a pair of animals fighting over food. You should've stayed quiet, I would've loved to see more of this". Ymir came strolling out form the dark with a smirk on her face. "Looks like I stopped the little 'lovers quarrel' before it got _really_ awkward for your innocent little eyes." James stood up then and stared Ymir dead in the eyes. He hasn't talked to her directly till now, but at the moment she was pissing him off just a tiny bit.

"I'm not some _cheap entertainment_ and _Neither_ is she. And she's not my 'lover' either you _idiot_. Mind your own business". He said and was mildly satisfied when he saw her face growl a scowl at being talked to like that. As he got ready to help Sasha up, James saw she had been busy devouring the food he had snuck out while talking to the freckled brunette. He chuckled lightly and helped her up. "That good huh? Either that or you still got that bottomless stomach." he joked. Once she was done, even as exhausted as she was, Sasha still wrapped her arms around his shoulders and hugged him tightly with a grin on her face.

"James! I can't believe it's you! Wait, why are _you_ here? I thought you'd be going back home? You said that's where you were going, back to your sister. Why-" She stopped rambling as she noticed the look on his face, it went from a happy smile to a pained look, as if he were being burned with a hot poker. Krista and Ymir also saw the smile fade from his face and became a little wary about whatever they were about to hear.

Swallowing the lump thst bad formed in his throat, James replied with a hollow voice "I- I did go home. But it... didn't last". Sasha not knowing where he was originally from, didn't understand and naively asked him "Why? they didn't hate you did-" James cut her off "No, its not that. They were happy to see me. I just came back on a really bad day." Before she could ask what he meant by that, James told her. "I'm from Shinganshina, Sash. I came home the day of the fall."

She stood there stunned, not noticing Krista's gasp, nor Ymir's look of sympathy. She hugged him tightly, "I'm sorry James. Did...did anyone make it?".

"No...no. Almost, but no. I couldn't do anything for my parents, they were crushed almost instantly... but my sister died because of _me_. Because I fucked up." his voice broke before he could finish. Taking a breath to steady himself in order to keep himself together, he forced himself to keep talking.

"I... _they_ told me to get her out of the city. I got her to the gate, but I left her there. I told her to go on, that I find her. I tried to help evacuate people. I was outside with the Garrison, helping them get the wounded through. I didn't know she stayed at the gate, waiting for me. I told her to get on a boat, to just get as far away, that I'd find her. Then the _Armored bastard_ showed up. I saw what it was trying to do, I rushed to get people out of the way, but...I didn't see her. When it crashed into the gate, she... she got hurled away with the rubble. She was crushed, I couldn't get her out. By the time I got to her, she was already gone..."James had fallen to his knees by then, tears silently coming down his face.

He hadn't spoken about it to anyone since it happened, mainly because he's never _had_ to speak about it to anyone. No one except for Sasha knows who he is, there's no more family of his alive that before knows of. And he never actually knew of any other members of his family, not even his parent's parents. When he had buried Eve and his mother and father, he stayed at that spot for a week slaughtering the titans that were in the city out of sheer rage. He got to his parents bodies before they could be eaten, and had buried them alongside his sister once he was sure the city was completely emptied. There were no other survivors to protect, so James didn't have to worry about being caught as a Titan shifter. The humans in the military had left by then, out of fear of the Titans, and he was alone. His wails and groans of pain lasted for a few days, he'd been too infused with his Titan due to fighting the remaining giants. Meaning his sense in his titan form were enhanced, but he was also able to feel pain in that form.

It felt even worse that he had to lie right now in order to keep his secret. That he had to warp what happened so he could stay _hidden_. But there was truth in what he said, truth that he couldn't deny. He _didn't_ get her out of the way. He'd been to focused on helping others that he didn't take the time to make sure that she had left. He stayed to fight the titans, and try to evacuate people who did need help. He'd failed to stop the Armored Titan. If he had just taken out it's legs, it wouldn't have been able to ram the gate. All because of him.

Because he _failed._


	6. 6:Training- Old family, New Friends

**So far I've only had a few problems with how much I can put into a chapter before the word limit will cut off. Sorry if the last chapter seemed to end prematurely, this chapter will start where the last left off, before starting another part of James life here in the 104th. Sorry again for any spoilers. GuineapigsOP, thanks for the review, and I understand what you mean. But the 5 days he mourned, he killed any titans he could find in the city in rage and sadness. In other words, he lost a piece of himself that day, like Eren did in the actual manga with the death of his mother. And yes, with the world they live in, and James's personality, he isn't exactly normal when it comes to loss or death. As Always leave a review or message me on here, Let Us Begin.**

 **Author's note 2, 12-28-18: Well I've cleaned up some of the dialogue and grammer errors as well as adding more to each character and small things like setting description. Hopefully this feels smoother.**

 _Training Part 3- Old Family, New Friends_

James sat there on his knees in front of Sasha, Ymir and Krista, with the same thought bouncing around his head that came with every time he remembered the day Shinganshina fell. _'It's all my fault, it's all my fault, it's all my fault, it's all my fault'._ Over and over it repeated itself, staying in his head like a swarm of hornets jabbing into his mind. With these thoughts always came _anger_ at two things: The Armored and Colossal Titans who caused such calamity, and finally self-loathing with himself for not doing enough to protect his own family.

Sasha had been watching him in worry since he confessed why he wasn't with his family. Then again he would probably ask her why _She_ wasn't at home in Dauper either, and upon learning his reason she began to feel shame and guilt for some words she had exchanged with her father after the wall had fallen and refugees came to her village. Cruel and selfish words that she hadn't fully appreciated at the time until she joined, and now felt hit hard to her core. Seeing the pain her adoptive brother for all intents and purposes felt, the huntress crouched down and wrapped her arms around him in order to comfort him. His murmuring went quieter and slower, so she hoped she was helping him feel better, even if it was only minut. "James, _I'm so sorry._ If I'd known I wouldn't have ask-" Sasha began before he actually spoke clearly to her.

James cut her off before she could finish apologizing for something she has no real reason to feel guilty over. "No, **_no_** , don't be sorry Sash. It's not _your_ fault, and you couldn't have known. L-lets just... talk about something else. _Please_?" He asked and pulled back in order to see her answer. To his relief She nodded after a moment, deciding to give him his space and they both got up slowly. They just then noticed that Ymir and Krista were still standing there, unsure what to do. The latter ran forward and wrapped James in another hug, while Ymir stood with a look that held some sympathy on her face despite the confrontation mere moments before.

Krista murmured " I'm sorry for your loss James, We'll leave you guys alone. You look like you have some catching up to do." Ymir heard this and smirked before interjecting " _Of of_ _course_ they do, can't keep the lovers apart any longer. Let's go Krista" And grabbing said girl, the brunette left with the much shorter blonde in tow, but managed to hear James say to her " _For the Last time, We're not Lovers you tall freckled idiot!"_ in annoyance. Ymir smirked, glad she got under his skin a bit. Took his mind off it in her own way without getting all sentimental like others including the blonde she was walking with would. Not that she cared that much for the guy as she barely knew him, but she knows a thing or two about losing everything as you know it.

Turning to the reason he was out this late, James spoke to Sasha again, trying to sound as normal as he could. "So Sash, how's it been? Still can't believe a hunter like you would join the military. Why'd you do it?" James asked with curiosity. Sasha stayed silent for a moment, she knew he was trying to avoid talking about what happened. And while she knew it wasn't good to do, she also knew it would be wise to take his mind off it. She knew what he could be like when his emotions got the best of him, he could be scary, _very scary_. "I joined because home was having some problems, plus I wanted to... be a better person." She saw that James stood there confused.

Sighing, she continued "My parents told me what was happening with the Maria refugees, and at first I was kind of selfish. They were on our land, we were being forced to change our ways. I was angry, and my dad talked to me about what they were going through. He opened my eyes a bit, so I decided I'd try and help. Like I said, I never expected you to be here, but since you are... are we still friends? Even after _what_ _happened_ ?".

James smile slowly crept back to his face, "Course Sash. I don't regret it. You're _alive_ cause of what I did. At least that scar healed up. I've got too many to keep track of anymore." James replied quietly, but loud enough for her to hear. Taking a look around and seeing they were still alone was a relief, since he didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea about why the two were still out so late. "Come on, let's head in and go to sleep. Otherwise Shadis is gonna flay us alive". Sasha nodded frantically as she remembered the fear the man put in her, and after one final embrace they went their separate ways to their barracks for the night.

James felt a bit better, Sasha was practically his family in the two years he left his family. He knew he couldn't go back to Dauper when his home fell, because the reason he left wasn't too pleasant. It involved death, much like a large portion of his life so far, but He didn't regret it one bit. He made the right decision then, no matter what others would think.

He actually felt a lot better seeing a familiar face joining. James smiled a bit as he entered the barracks as those around him were turning in for the night, most not casting him a glance as they were too caught up in thwir own little worlds to notice he came in later than they did. He was glad no one asked where he'd been, but he knew eventually someone would know or overhear something from Ymir if she blabbed for gossip. He didn't seem fazed by it, after all Sasha was basically his family. The _last_ of his family for now... but having a few friends could suffice for now. Hopefully some of those around him would become family as well, given enough time. He climbed into his bunk and drew the blanket over himself before shutting his eyes. Tomorrow was just another day.

Meanwhile in the girls barracks, Annie had been staring at the ceiling since dinner had been dismissed. She didn't try talking with anyone else since she entered the cabin, even that strange Mina girl who persisted in trying to make nice with her. Eventually the others all began to nod off, and she could finally enjoy the peaceful silence that came with being the last awake. Unable to sleep like those around her, Annie was surprised when she heard the door open and saw Krista, Ymir walk in followed by Sasha Blouse, Aka "potato girl". _'So they stayed back to make sure she didn't sleep outside? Noble but too risky if Shadis wouldve found them. But then again, not my problem.'_ Annie thought before turning over to head to sleep herself before something caught her attention.

She heard Ymir ask a question that seemed directed towards potato girl. "So **how** do you know James? He your Ex-boyfriend or something? No, you two seemed _too grabby_ for that." At this Annie found herself feeling a tinge of jealousy, but she had no idea why and drove the strange sensation from her mind.

 _'What the hell was that about?'_ She thought, confused at why such a thing would come of hearing that.

She could hear Sasha whisper angrily _"He already told you it's not like that, it never was. What don't you understand? He's like my brother, he saved my life a long time ago and that's it! He's hurt inside, he's got no one left. So arrest me if I want to be there to help him get through it ok?!"_ Annie pondered those bits of information, James was an orphan and he somehow knew Blouse before joining the cadets. _Interesting_. But how did he know her was the newest question on her mind.

The red-head sounded like she was was ready to go on but it sounded like the small blonde angel stopped her.

"Look Ymir, I think she's telling the truth. You saw how he acted when she mentioned his family, he broke down right in front of us. I think she's just trying to help him. Let's leave them alone." Annie hears Krista tell the taller girl.

Although Annie couldn't see ut, sgsge practically _heard_ Ymir roll her eyes while huffing to the smaller girl. "Whatever, seemed unlikely anyways. After all, I _did_ see him staring at the silent short stack sleeping over there during dinner. I think her name's Annie or something." Annie froze upon hearing this, all the while feigning sleep. She listened on as Ymir continued with her gossiping, now aimed towards _Herself._ "She doesn't seem to talk much, but I saw that Mina chick with her. Wonder if she'd even talk to him. I saw her stare back at him for a few moments before she _blushed._ Hell She _might just have a crush on him."_ She heard Ymir snicker, and yet again Annie blushed for the second time today, this time at hearing herself being caught blushing for James.

' _Damn_ _him... but why did I blush?"'_ She asked of herself. What did he do that made her feel... interested to know who, and possibly even _what_ he was? He was _different_ , that much she could tell, just like he had said about her. The difference was she doesn't see so clearly about him compared to hiw ge supposedly saw right through her as she thinks about it more. ' _Why him?_ ' she kept asking herself. _'I'll_ _talk to him tomorrow, he already offered to listen. Maybe I just have to_ _make the first move'._ Pushing her thoughts to the side, she closed her eyes. She tries not to think of the guy who saw right through her with no problem, the guy with the weird smile and eyes...but still fails.

But strangely, she didn't feel bad for failing.

 ** _The next day, Test and Training of ODM gear._**

The recruits had lined up to a few rigs of cables and uniforms that contain the one weapon that humanity has to fight titans in close proximity, the Omni-directional gear, sometimes nicknamed 3DMG or ODM for short. A few cadets had already tried their luck at maintaining their balance, some excelling quite well at it. These included Jean, Mikasa, James, even Annie and Armin despite their smaller stature to the rest. But as always there were those who couldn't, including the "suicidal bastard" as the other trainees had begun to call him, Eren Jaeger. Personally James didn't see why his drive for change and freedom was such a thing of mockery, especially given how close to death he'd once been before James came along. It was something James actually admired the kid for having, given how many here in the camp would rather hide away in the inner walls and contribute nothing to exterminating the titans and reclaiming Wall Maria.

But right now Eren was a sight to pity, struggling with such determination to try and make the gear work for him. James had no problem using the gear, it actually reminded him of flying in his Titan form. It came naturally to him, but he thought to himself that he would offer the kid some help. And decided he would wait until the place was more empty before giving Eren a hand, to spare the boy any further embarrassment.

Dinner had come by then, and although he had been practicing as much as possible Jaeger still couldn't get the hang of it. James sighed before he approached the table that Eren sat at, and offered to help him after dinner. It was an oddly good feeling when Eren seemed to look alive again, and James could see just how desperate he was to utilize the gear properly in order to make the cut. Unknown to him Annie had been watching the whole conversation even if she couldn't hear all of it, and raised an eyebrow in curiosity when they both left together after dinner. She stayed a ways back to avoid being caught watching by the pair, . She still wanted to talk with James, but for now it seems like she's going to have to wait.

A few minutes later and her question as to what the pair were doing was answered. Annie watched as Eren began hooking up to an ODM rig while James was at the crank, ready to hoist him up when he was ready getting it on. She watched in minor pity as Eren yet again hit the ground, this time fully on the forehead. She decided to stay back and just watch, waiting for Jaeger to give the pair of them their privacy.

James could see he was really set on doing this, but he couldn't find what to do that would help. "Look I can see your determined, but if you don't have what it takes you need to accept it, alright? I'm not telling you to quit by any means, train as much as you can, but I've got nothing. I'm sorry Eren, but that's all I can give you." Eren bowed his head dejectedly, before he heard James offer one last tip.

"I'd go try Reiner and Bertoldt, they seemed pretty good at this. But remember, if they can't help then your screwed." Jaeger nodded, grateful for the advice, but still a bit dispirited at having failed yet again. He'd go to them when everyone was getting ready to tuck in for the night. That way he wouldnt be ridiculed in front of everyone else any more than he'd already suffered through today.

Eren gave a thankful smile to Draekon, and gave his appreciation for the gesture. "Thanks James, your a good friend, even if we only met up yesterday. And thanks for not making fun of me for not being able to use the gear. But I'm going to do everything I can to make it work." James gave a kind smile of his own and gave the guy a thumbs up. "No problem Eren. I'm not gonna knock you for not being able to do it, especially since you're not giving up. Best of luck man." And with that, they went their separate ways. Eren towards the cabins while James decided to take a more scenic route to just enjoy the rest of the night before rest.

Annie finally saw the two parting ways for the night, and took her shot to talk with Him and get some answers to her questions. "Hey Draekon, you got a minute?" she said to him as she got off the wall of building she leaned against. James was definitely surprised given their small stand off yesterday, but still he replied with a small smile on his face. "Sure, if you wanna talk, I'll listen. I have nothing to do for the night."

Annie was still cautious about him, but was grateful that this seemed to be going off without a hitch. She nodded and they began to walk near the edge of the woods at a casual pace. He remained just as silent as she tried to be yesterday and grudgingly broke the silence first. "So, where are you from? District or a village?" she asked. If he claimed any place that she knew of inside the walls from the two years She and her fellow warriors have resided in, then he was an actual person from the walls. If he claimed otherwise, then that would fuel her suspicions about why he used the term "Warrior" when their first meeting had gone sour.

James replied in a calm voice, "I'm from Shinganshina, like Jaeger and his friends. What about You?" Annie decided his tone was good enough to not be a lie, so she chose to use her method of reading the face just to test him further. She looked at his face out of the corner of her blue eyes, but wasn't prepared for what she saw.

He seemed a little... _off_ , putting it mildly. James seemed to stare a bit into the distance, his eyes hollow. She'd seen the look on her fellow shifters when they met up after the start of their unpleasant mission all those years ago. He seemed like he didn't want to talk about home, that it hurt to. She'd allow him an answer "I'm from the same village as Reiner and Bertholdt. It was a small village, tucked inside the mountains of Maria", giving him the cover story they've used since they took refuge among the victims of their attacks. The story wasn't even of their design.

It was one they took and modified to suit them from a guilt ridden old man who had left three children from his own village to their own vices after the wall fell. The story had stayed with them not only because they knew their actions had caused his own in their own way, but because the next day the man had hung himself from the tree they'd been taking shelter under. That had been yet another bad omen of the nature of their mission, losing Marcel the morning of the attack, the breach itself, Reiner's encounter with another shifter, and finally a suicide that happened as they slept not even 10 feet away. She shook her head to clear it and chose to focus on the matter at hand.

James nodded and had to clear his own head from reliving any memories and asked something that was on his mind about her. "I see. Hey uh, did You have training before you came here? Because honestly you look like you can kick most of the others ass's in 3 different ways without breaking a sweat." His tone caught her off guard, because it had interest and a hint of excitement in it. Annie hadn't been preparing for something like this. Did he like fighting and hand to hand combat like she did? She asked him a question of her own in turn, unaware that she broke from.m her usual monotone doing so "Why, do you want to spar sometime?"

He smiled and she saw his eyes light up as he was quick to give his answer "Anytime. Maybe you can show me just how _good_ you are. _If you're not afraid._ " he told her with a hint of challenge in it, though still friendly and not like the way Jaeger snd Kirstein would've exchanged such words. Annie found herself wanting to prove her strength to him for some reason, and replied "Sure, I don't have anything to fear, but I'm not holding back." with a smirk.

"Good, don't. I can't wait." James smiled and threw back at her, already anticipating their spar since it was a little late for it now, and he had just the perfect timing for when they should do it. Hand to hand wouldn't start for another 2 days due to the training schedule involving ODM, but he was glad to have something to look forward to aside from gauging everyone's own skill. Though he wasn't preparing himself to be shocked because most here weren't like him, he can tell Annie was going to be the thing to make it worthwhile when the time came.

After that exchange, They talked a bit more about themselves, or James did mostly even though both were keeping themselves reserved. While Annie had talked to him more than anyone else he had seen, she still keeping more to herself than he was talking to her. They almost lost track of time, until the bell rung to tell the trainees to fall in for the night, but before they departed from each other's company Annie asked James one last question. One of the few she'd originally set out on asking him earlier but seemed to forget as they pleasantly exchanged information and tid bits about themselves. "Hey James..." She began and saw him give her his full attention once more, something she's been growing to like this past hour or so that they've been chatting.

"Hm?" He hummed to her, curious.

"What did you mean by _Warriors_ yesterday, when I told you about not knowing a thing about me? You said they weren't...common or something. I just never heard of the word before." She carefully explained, keeping herself safe from raising suspicious thoughts from Him to her. After a moment or two of consideration, he finally spoke.

"I meant about people who don't just follow orders like mindless servants to be tossed aside. People who dont seem to have an actual purpose for themselves outside of what the world seems to give to them. That's how I see soldiers, or at least a large number of them. But there are those who aren't like the rest, who stand out. People who hold themselves with that purpose they give themselves. Jaeger's is the death of all titans, Ackerman's is keeoing Jaeger safe. Armin seems to hokd some idea of leaving the walls to see the rest of the world, even if everything we've ever been told was nothing positive about it. Jean and Marco want a better life in the interior along with the others who want to be Mps. Reiner and Bertholdt seem like they want to go home, even if it isn't there anymore. Me, I just don't want to be alone. I've been that way dor too long in my life, so I guess I fight for people who matter to me. That's my reason. What's yours?" She stood thinking to herself, but couldn't come up with a good enough response that would make sense to him.

Luckily fate seemed to be merciful as she heard James tell her "I dont need an answer, like I said yesterday it's your choices and such if you want to tell me about it. Just know for yourself what your reason for fighting is. Otherwise... you'll nevwr achieve anything." Annie found herself staring wide eyed in a small sense of awe at him, and cmstill couldn't find a thing to say in response to that bit of wisdom.

With that James bid her a good night and left, waving behind him as he did so. She waved a bit as well and smiled slightly as she walked back to the barracks. Tonight had been something by to her, and that something was maki her feel more cheerful than she has in years.

' _Like_ _me'_ She thought with some warmth in it. Two days, and she'll see.


	7. 7:Training-Broken Gear, Solid Girl

**Yay! I ended last chapter how I wanted to. So recap: Sasha has an old friend again. Annie overheard what Ymir said about James watching her, James himself has tried to help Eren with his gear, and now has a spar with Annie to look forward to. A big part of James past will get revealed in the middle of this chapter. Also, this will be updated every day to 3 days at the longest. I'm really anxious to get this stuff written down on here, so bear with me on how fast it's updated. And so, Let Us Begin.**

 **Well nearly 2 years have passed and it's crazy to see how far this story has come from mere 1.5 and 2k chapters which I had to really ration out how they went, to chapters past 10k that cover entire episodes of the anime. Well this is just a secondary authors note since I've been revising most of my stories, and since i out this one on Ao3 where I've had great success. This hss been revised, extended, and even partially rewritten entirely. So tell me what you all think of the chapter.**

 _Training- Broken Gears and Solid Girls_

Everyone was watching as Eren Jaeger was hoisted up yet again, to see if he had what it took. To see if he would be able to remain with the rest of them or forced to leave because he's unable to use the gear necessary for being in this military. It had started out smooth, and seemed like he had finally gotten it. James actually chuckled, Eren's face was so joyful... that is, until he flipped over to his back yet again. Slamming his head into the unforgiving ground and earning himself a grunt of pain. Everyone's face fell a bit, James, Armin and Mikasa's the most until Shadis said something unexpected to Jaeger.

"Switch your equipment with Cadet Wagner's. Now".

Confusion began to spread like a fire. Why would the instructor ask that? But despite the unexpected instructions, the two complied as they undid their belts and swapped them out for each others until Shadis gestured for the one Eren had given over to Thomas. James was starting to put it together as was Armin, when Eren was hoisted back up and balanced in the air just _fine_.

' _So, he could do it, he just had broken equipment the whole time.'_ James realized before he cheered with the rest, glad that the kid had what it took. He was kinda proud, he saved him back then 2 years ago wben he was unable to do anything, and in return the guy now wanted to fight for the freedom of others. And with the drive he had, James was confident that he could call him a warrior at heart.

Now, as that bit of drama was over, he turned to leave for the rest of tge hour before lessons would begin when he caught Annie staring at him. James noticed that she didn't look as bored this time as she did yesterday, but still the blonde quickly turned away from him. James smiled a little at that, He kind of liked the way she looked at him, or rather _pretended not to_. Hopefully tomorrow when combat training began, she might open up a little more to him. She had talked to him quite a bit yesterday, even if it wasn't very long he could tell she enjoyed it when he brought the subject around to close combat. He had a better understanding from what he saw from her so far, but he was still interested to know more.

As the day dragged on with the standard classroom lessons as well as ODM training, James found himself talking to Sasha and Connie most of the time so far when they wrre away from instructors. They mostly told stories about home, or at least Sasha and Connie did with each other. James only talked about home when he was with Sasha in Dauper. He didn't talk about the home he tried to go back to, both Because he didn't want to go into _how_ he was raised nor possibly giving away the fact that he dould become a 17 meter nearly unstoppable killing machine. Sasha also tried to steer Connie away from asking James about Shinganshina, Because from what she heard on the first night many people crowded around Eren and he didn't seem to enjoy that much. And since James did actually lose his family during the catastrophe, she would do whatever she could to spare him having to think about it anymore than he might, unfortunately.

As all the talking kept on going, Sasha not have noticed it yet, but James _knew_ that Connie liked his adoptive sister. He could see by how nervous the bald boy would be when she got a little too close to touching his skin in training, or how Connie grinned whenever she laughed at his jokes, even if they weren't the best. At this James found himself feeling an unfamiliar but warm feeling, since he was very unsed to this sort of interaction with others. He didn't have nearly any friends growing up, hell he socialized with the _animals_ he lived in close proximity to more than he did actual people.

Sure he talked with people every now and then when he grew up in shinganshina, whenever he went with his parents to get food or supplies they mightve needed. But he didn't get to run around with other kids who enjoyed fun time with their friends. And when he went to Dauper there wasnt very much of a village to begin with, but more of individual homes that were close to each other but not close enough to be called a village per say. So he only really knew Sasha and her Pa, and was attempting to make nice with the other cadets here. So far it's been smooth enough, and because he was tge observant type, he's gotten a good grasp of those he's come to train with for the most part.

James thought Connie was alright in his opinion. Sure he talked alot, and wasn't exactly the brightest of the recruits, but he seemed like he had his mind set in the right direction. He was there for his teammates if they needed him during the ODM tests in the forest, so it was good that he was light but steady on his feet. Sasha too was fast on the gear which reassured him that she was capable, even though the red head tried showing off like the others. But all the recruits were overshadowed by the top 3 rig users of their class so far.

The top were Mikasa, the stoic dark haired girl he saved along with Eren 3 years ago. Then there was the more arrogant smartass as well as horse faced guy named Jean, and finally it was James himself. James was the most natural with the gear although he wasn't the fastest. But when he used it, the boy moved through the air like a fish in water, fluid and deliberate. To him it was like flying, which he missed because he couldn't shift with anyone around here. And if he was still here for the full 3 years, then it would be quite a while before he did it again. In a way it brought back memories of his time outside the walls. Some were alright, and others were not. He'd have to sneak away sometime and feel the warmth again, but that could also be troublesome in the future if he ever gets caught

James was a bit scared to change again, deep down. It has been about a month since his last transformation, since he had to remain incognito and blend in before he could find a recruiter office. Can't exactly shift back from a titan and just appear in front of an officer without getting a gun drawn on you. Not that it would kill him, shifter healing and all, but he would be revealed for all to see. When he had left what used to be home years ago, he wandered throughout the interior of Wall Maria as a messenger of sorts for a short time to warn people of the breach. He used his Titan form to move quicker than the army, flying most of the time, to the districts in a day at most. James would still have to shift back and walk the rest of the way, but he did his job. He still had to be careful about who might see him, he didn't want to create rumors about a _flying_ Titan. People would go crazy, paranoia would spread about the safety of the cities not being able to stop him. Especially since they were true.

Of course, James no intention of harming anyone, but it would've been easy to. That said, he did defend himself from a trio of scouts who took him for an abnormal once when he wasn't flying. He didn't kill them, but they didn't get off so easy when they _insisted_ on attacking him. He grabbed them as they tried to slice his protected nape, and rolled them lightly on the ground. They weren't killed, but a little roughed up. He did it once more when they tried again, and this time he snarled as he held one to his eyes.

They got the message loud and clear: " _I could've killed you twice already.Try again and I will"._ After thaf he fled for a full hour in order to get far away from any reinforcements. If he'd been cornered he might've had to play dirty, and that would out him as an enemy like the Armored and Colossal. _Those bastards_. In order to hepp keep his sanity together enough to stay alive, James had taken on many habits to distract himself in the days shortly after the fall. He liked to jog sometimes, and had to when he saw Survey corps out patrolling. He couldn't risk being spotted in the sky, so he kept his body on the earth. He felt the days blur until all cities and many villages were finally warned of the incoming danger.

Then, he went off to be on his own.

James lost a large piece of his humanity that day, when he'd buried the corpses of his actual family. He really had nowhere else to go at that point. Sasha was pretty close to him, she'd been like family, but couldn't go back to Dauper, he _was_ _actually_ _exiled_ from there for a needed act of killing a man, (murder in their eyes but necessary justice in his own.). His home here was in ruins, so he did the first thing that came to mind. James went somewhere entirely new, and so He wandered for 3 years in the wilderness, _outside_ of the walls. In the land where no humans lived, only the mindless. He always made his way back to a forest of giant trees for sleep, and didn't stop climbing until he was at the top of the canopy. The rest of the time when he would relax he was more than fine just laying about on the middle branches, which were still a ways off the ground and far enough from the mindless for his safety.

He fed off of deer and whatever wildlife he could find, and drank from rivers rather than ponds, although he did bath in the later. He spent most of his time in his other form, mainly using it to kill any titans nearby and even searching some out for a good hour or so just to have something to do. He held the feeling of power that came with his titan like a lifeline, because it gave some comfort in his time alone. Again he had exiled himself from everyone else. But this time, He didn't _want_ to be with the rest of the refugees or deal with them, and feel more of an outsider then he already was. He isolated himself, but wanted company. ' _Oh the irony.'_ He used to think to himself as he lay staring at clouds or titans in the distanc as the made their way towards him, drawn by the need to feed on him.

After a time though, He actually began to _feel_ _like his Titan_ in a sense.

It wasn't a huge urge nor was it too apparent in the beginning, but ut just slowly nmfelt numb The primal desires became all too natural, always the first instincts rather than thinking of things first. He had always had a sense of it being a part of him like a second skin just underneath, but he began to think like how his did at times. He found himself eager to fight, even if he was tired. He had liked fighting before, but he hadn't had the bloodlust behind it... until he had lost his family. He felt as if nothing grounded him to humanity anymore, but his rational side fought on. Yet, He ate more like an animal when he was in his human form. He began to kill titans with less skill and deliberate intent, and more with savagery, simply for the _pleasure_ it gave him. He'd begun to lose himself to his own instincts. And then he had _met_ the reason his mind was where it was _now_. Cool and calm, yet with the same power as his bestial side. Not the same as before, but nowhere near the primal mess he was slowly turning into.

He'd met _him_. _It._

It had been a boring day almost a year and a half after the wall had fallen. Very small titans walked near and clawed the base of his home tree, the highest only 6 meters which compared to his nearly tripled hight meant he could care less about what they did. He hadn't payed them much attention, until something caught his eye. A tall Titan, about _19_ meters had lumbered out from a thicket of trees that were close to the one he was holding up in. It was definitely different, it's hairy hide, long limbs and small head showing James that this was completely new. Not even his parents had prepared him for a titan that looked like _this_. It watched him, and while James was concerned at first that it would climb up to him with those long arms of it's, it did something that still shocks him to this day. It _spoke_. A Titan, an unusual one, but a _Titan_ had spoken to those around it.

" **On Your shoulders."**

The thing ordered with a deep voice full of authority. James had thought his mind was playing tricks on him, until much to his amazement did the titans do exactly as they were commanded. Or at least they tried, since they weren't intelligent at all, and meant they weren't very coordinated for a task like this. All they knew was chase, eat, and walk. But still the small titans tried climbing on top of another like small children or puppies would in a pile.

James had a slight sense of panic creeping up on his mind now. They couldn't reach him by any means, but the fact that one could give orders and _think_ made James anxious. Dealing with something that acted on instinct alone was easier to deal with than something that displayed complex, damn. ear _human_ like thinking like he'd just seen. Seeing no other option of escape since the limbs on his tree weren't close with many others at this level, James transformed by biting his hand. Like every other time he had done this simple act, he had a goal in mind: _Fight_.

Flesh and tendons melded together around bones that began to take shape seemingly right out of the air. Soon after each layer finished his tough and scaly but flexible skin wrapped and covered eveey part of his body minus his eyes and scalp. Feeling the familiar but soothing sensation of power coursing through his body, James outstretched his limbs and began climbing a ways down with his face towards the ground like the mythical lizard he resembled in this form. A _Dragon_ , he came to learn after reading a story or two at night time. His father had jokingly called him one and he didnt understand until he'd seen a drawing of one. And after seeing the things that the fearsome beast and his titan shared, he found himself liking the comparison.

James kept his grip on the massive trunk of the tree, and slowly got closer to the threat below. His claws held him in place, and He stopped just about ten meters from the group of titans. James opened his mouth and gave a fierce shriek to challenge the haired one directly. His calls always drew in the mindless, but James wanted to fight that one because if he could drive it off, then maybe it would take the mindless with it. But to janes disappointment the hairy creature watched with amusement at the display, and held it's composure. Almost as if James wasn't even a fly to swat away, which made James more wary because of how confident the Beast was.

It then picked up one of the smaller ones and hurled it at James.

James barely dodged since he hadn't been expecting it, but wasn't hit. The small titan flew past him and crashed into the trunk of atree farther back with a sickening crunch, and fell limp to the ground before steaming and evaporating away. James was shocked at the brutal action, and that none of the other mindless acted as if anything had happened to one of their own, which told James that whatever the hell this thing was, it held complete controo over them. He grew angry at being toyed with, and leapt down to another branch and gripped it before he heard it speak again.

 **"I must admit that _hair_ of yours is quite different, just like the rest of you. You act like a rabid animal... Hmm, and they call _M_ _e_ the 'Beast Titan'. Is that why you're so far from your precious village boy? Banished for being a beast?"** It asked with dark amusement. James was confused about the village part, he was far outside the walls.

' _What_ _village does he mean?'_ The rest, insult included, made him pause. He realized only now thathe let his anger lead him into making a bad move: _he was closer to the ground than he should be._ _Grabbing distance._ James quickly climbed back up a bit more to be out of arms length of all the assailants, growling at the self proclaimed 'Beast Titan'. _'He's got longer arms than even me, but his weight and size might slow him from dodging. The other small pissants I can deal with easily, but this guy, he's smart_. _He's gonna take effort to beat.'_. He thought to himself the longer he stared right into the Titan's yellow and black eyes.

James took a few moments but finally came up with a strategy, and jumped from the tree to near the stack of small titans. He threw a leg out and swiped at the lowest one, breaking it's legs and part of its waist from the vicious blow and bringing their 'tower' down with one simple move. As they tried to get up, he swiftly ripped and crushed their napes in his hands. One got up and tried to jump him, but James merely grabbed it in his jaws and bit down, crushing and severing the nape from the rest of the body. He spit out the carcass, but swallowed the flesh in his mouth. All the while, the Beast Titan had watched like an owner would a dog that caught a bird or a treat.

The mere thought of such a view made James angry. Strangely, He _wanted_ it to have some reaction to his skills. He wanted to be acknowledged as the Predator he was, the killer he.. _wait... what? 'What am I saying? I'm not a killer._ '

 _'Yes you are'_ a small voice told him in his head. It sounded just like his own thoughts, but he never disagreed with his thoughts like this voice had just done. So what was it? ' ** _No_** _I'm_ _not_ ' James declared and It replied yet again to him.

' _Your_ _a killer James, but what's so bad about that?_ _Do_ _you not kill to survive, just like everything else?'_

James shook his heard to clear his mind from the strange thoughts, he needed to stay focused on the threat in front of him. If He got distracted then he could be attacked and maybe even overwhelmed if more titans appeared while he fights the hairy giant. And yet still, the Beast Titan had not changed from it's watchful demeanor only a few dozen meters away. Instead it then turned to leave, much to James anger despite having wanted it to leave him be earlier. But the intelligence it shown plus how accurately it could throw something big had made James reprioritize this new threat as something that _has_ to be taken care of now.

James snarled and motioned to attack, when he heard it speak aloud, " **You can move now. I've seen enough, take care of him** ".

It left then and James went to pursue it, only for at least 2 _dozen_ titans come out of the shadows and from behind other larger trees that were near his own. They varied in size, but quite a few were in the 15 meter class. But being 17 meters tall himself, he knew he still had an advantage on them. But there were alot to deal with at once. _How hadn't he smelled or sensed them before?_ He then realized that he could only smell the stink of that Beast Titan around here, which covered or mingled with the smell of the mindless for some reason. And with the difference in size and numbers James put two and two together that this was an _ambush_. The small fry earlier were to test him, and if he succeeded then he would be left for these larger ones. That thing _planned this._

His desire and need to eliminate that Titan was almost overshadowed by the anger for being tricked so easily. He wanted nothing more than to chase down and rip the hairy bastard apart, but if he did that without killing these larger mindless he could be ganged up on by both sides and killed. And if he took too much time fighting these mindless then he might lose track of his target, and other wandering titans could be drawn to the area by his presence.

In that moment, James knew he had to draw the line between the Titan and himself. Or... he could be Two as One. ' _Both_ _works'._ He'd kill the mindless as quickly as be could, and pursue the ape afterwards. If he couldn't catch it he would have to hunt for it another day or another time when be was more prepared. Growling, he took a step forward and roared. He charged the nearest, and the world went red from then on.

James shook his head to clear the memories of the past from the now. He noticed that dinner was nearly over and many were just preparing to leave for the cabins, those at his table included. James didnt see that blonde hair in a bun anywhere, but he would soon enough. After all, he had something _special_ tomorrow.

He had a fight with Annie to attend.


	8. 8: Training-Technique or Berserk

**So a look into James past took up most of the chapter, revealing some parts of his personality and his acceptance of what he is. As shown in the last chapter, James had encounter with the Beast Titan years ago. In this story, The Beast Titan will be the main foe, to both the people in the walls, and the shifters outside of it. He will present in major events of the story, but he will be more in the shadows seeming to manipulate how things go. You will see how things can be seen from another perspective than the traditional way of how other write the events in their stories. And yes, there will occasionally be double uploads. So, read on and enjoy.**

Training-Technique or Berserk.

The day had finally come, and a good number of the recruits were excited or nervous. Combat training begins today, and James was eager to pair up with Annie, though she was nowhere in sight yet. James hoped she wasn't sick or anything, but he wouldn't push her to fight if she was. He wasn't cruel, he knew everyone deserved a fair chance to show what they got.

James looked for a partner, wandering past those already starting. He had began to head towards Eren and Reiner, the latter was just getting up from getting knocked on his ass, when he noticed them looking at someone. He followed their gaze and and to his delight, saw they had spotted _Annie_. He made his way over to her, but he noticed that Eren was being shoved by Reiner on front of her. She took a fighting stance, and James watched as Eren lunged forward but landed on his back.

James had seen the that move used before, his mother had forced him to learn it particularly when he trained with her. He had mastered it fully about a week before they told him why they made him train. Then he left, but he kept the knowledge of the fighting they gave to him. He used it when he first was attacked by a pair of human traffickers just outside of Dauper. He hadn't killed them, though he'd been sorely tempted to. They had attacked him when he had been hunting for dinner when he was knocked out for a half hour.

When he awoke he quickly took his captors by surprise and broke both of their legs before knocking them out. He dragged and left them at the nearest Scouts Outpost, with a letter detailing what they were. Afterwards he traveled further around the interior. It was about a day later he was wandering around the forests of Dauper when he rescued Sasha from a wolf.

He remembered hearing a human cry and a snarl, then running forward to see who was in trouble. He had come to a grey wolf on the back of a young girl with reddish brown hair. She was already in pain as the beast lowered it's head to her neck. James had let out a yell, still terrifying even in his human form. He caught the wolf's attention, before he lowered himself into a crouch, his arms in front with his fingers open. The wolf snarling, stepped off the poor girl. It answered the newcomers arrival, dropping it's prey and circling this new one.

They glared into each other's eyes, before the wolf leapt forward with a growl. James sidestepped and wrapped his arms around the wolf's neck when it landed at the place he once stood. He gripped as hard as he could and bit down to keep a grip as he attempted to snap it's neck. They rolled for a bit, the wolf tried to get him off before he could finish the move. James gritted his teeth and yanked with all his might. A small but definitive _Crcc_ _Crack_! was heard as the wolf's body went limp.

James stood, grunting from the effort it took to win. He then took note of the girl he'd just saved, still bleeding a bit from her shoulder. He grabbed her in his arms and asked her where her village was. She was afraid of him at first, by the way she stared at him. She saw what he did to the wolf, she probably thought he was gonna kill her. The look in her eyes reminded him of Eve when they were getting ready to leave their parents bodies, the fear.

He sighed and in the calmest voice he could manage, asked her again where her village was. She looked at him before answering quietly "It's.. it's a little south from here, maybe 10 minutes." He nodded and held her with care to not make the wounds any worse. He half jogged and half walked southward until he heard a man's voice calling out "Sasha, Sasha, SASHA!!" The girl responded by calling out to who James assumed was her father. He saw as a man with a beard and farmers hat came trudging out from trees with a bow and arrow.

The man saw his daughter bleeding from her shoulder, and the boy carrying her. He wasn't tall, but he had a build on him for such a young kid. He didn't look much older then Sasha herself, who was now in her father's arms. Sasha told him what had happened, from being attacked to being saved by the boy standing a few feet back. To the older man the boy didn't look lost, just that he didn't feel like he belonged here.

Sasha's father pitied the boy, and offered him a home for saving his daughter. James had been reluctant at first, but accepted as he really didn't have anywhere to go. From then on for nearly 2 whole years James had been living like an adopted son in Sasha's home. They had felt like siblings, and James felt like he had a sense of family again.

His reminiscing was stopped short by the small blonde whom he had been seeking for a few hours now. Annie stood before him with a small hint of excitement in her usually emotionless eyes. "So, the day is here. Sure your ready to get put on your ass?" She asked with a bit of humor. James smirked a little, and before he could stop himself he said "If it's _you_ doing it, I don't think I'll mind". She blushed from the way he said it, he blushed because he had just _flirted_ with her.

They looked for a clear place to spar, and found one a few meters away from those who had no idea what they were doing. "So, your sure you want this?" she asked one last time as she took a stance. James thought the phrase had a double meaning to it, and replied with a grin "Oh I'm committed, now let's see what you got". He took the crouching stance with his fingers curled like claws, much like he did in his Titan form.

They stood staring at each other, waiting for the other to move first, until no one did. As they came to the same conclusion, they accidentally attacked at the same time. Annie went for his legs and side, while he swung under her fists and wrapped his arms around her body and rolled them both to the ground. She was pinned under him, shocked that he had actually taken her down, until she kneed him in the ribcage and slid out from under him.

They got up quickly, and charged each other again. This time James used the same technique she had apparently learned like he did as a child. They struck and blocked each other very fast, neither really landing a hit that was successful in bringing down each other. She was stunned again at his skills, this time that he _knew how to fight like this_.

The only other person she knew who fought or knew how to like this was her father, who taught her. The fact that this guy knew how both intrigued her and made her suspicious. They continue to trade blows, still not hitting their mark as they both kept their defenses up.

The fighting was dragging on, they clearly were a match against each other. The pair realized this, and they both started to get frustrated. James loved a good fight and Annie seemed to as well, but they could see each other getting mad at not getting any further. Soon the blows began to hit harder, the jabs getting faster, kicks more vicious. They began to then fight dirty, Annie trying to take his legs out without care, and James trying to overpower her with sheer force.

She managed to knock his right leg out and he fell, but not before he used his left elbow to knock her back down as well. She tried to pin him in a leg lock around his neck, but he saw the move coming and returned it. They locked each other's necks between their legs, trying to make the other submit. Neither was giving in, when both took a look around them. They hadn't noticed, but for the past ten minutes nearly every cadet and even some of the trainers had been watching them spar viciously. They knew they weren't about to give in, so James called out in a strained voice "How about...we call..a _truce_?". He heard Annie agree with a strangled voice "Sure, on 3."

"3" they said in unison, and they released the other. James got up coughing, and he offered Annie a hand. She stared at it for a moment, before she accepted the gesture. "Thanks, that was.. different." He nodded and replied " You fight pretty damn good. who taught you?" She hesitated before saying "My Father, who taught _You_ how to fight like _That?_ "

He replied "My mother. She seemed fond of it, so she had me learn it. I hated it at first, but it turned out to be helpful."

"I never expected anyone else to know my technique, I'm surprised." she told him with a small smile tugging at the edge of her lips. He smiled a bit "Told you I might do that. Glad to have kept it. So, if your interested, wanna be partners?" She blushed, and James realized what he had said " _Fighting partners_ I meant! Sorry, didn't mean to sound like that." She was about to reply that it was alright, though she _liked_ how it sounded, when they heard a loud laughter coming from those still few watching.

James turned and saw Ymir and Reiner on the ground in tears, laughing. Reiner struggling to speak told Ymir "You're right, they're perfect!" before he laughed again. Ymir tried to reply, but had to take a deep breathe to keep herself controlled. "Told ya they were a match, I knew when they couldn't stop staring at dinner last night!". James saw Annie scowl a bit with some heat in her cheeks, and told the two on the ground

"Hmm, how about Krista? I _know you like_ her Reiner, but I'm not sure if Ymir's willing to share. Or if she even _has_ her to begin with." That shut them both up, and then they started arguing with each other: "She's mine you blonde Meathead!" "Piss off you freckled witch". The two then began to walk off still arguing, when said blonde of interest walked up the James and Annie and smiled "To me, you two do look good for each other, but that's your business." before leaving them.

James thought for a moment, before Annie turned and left. His hopes dropped, but then he saw a definite smile on her face. Hope flew right back up.

Today was a good day.


	9. 9:Training-Acceptance

**Great to hear from you GuineapigsOP, let me know what you think this time.** **I've decided to update whenever I can, depending on what I'm up to during the day. Training Arc will be longer than I thought, hopefully that's ok with you guys. As I said early on in the story, Divergence from canon during the Female Titan arc and during the Stohess Raid. No crystal ending for this story, just letting that be clear. James with Annie progression, as well as his interaction with the rest of the recruits. Spoilers, though it's been ongoing for years with the actual manga. I'm excited for season 2 so far, but wish there would be more episodes soon. So, Let us begin. You know the drill.**

Training-Acceptance

It had been about a week since combat training began, and just like on the first day, James paired with Annie. He'd been enjoying himself for these past few days, and Annie seemed to as well. She talked to him more outside of training, and even sat with him a few times during lunch. She still sat near Bert and Reiner at dinner, but he would catch her looking at him sometimes.

He enjoyed sparing with her alot, and even more that she had opened up to him. She would actually talk about herself, even though she didn't say why she was here. Her _motivation_ , as he put it, was something that must've been pretty personal, so he didn't push after the second time he asked. Him and Eren fought too, but Mikasa always hovered _too damn close_. Now while he somewhat respects the girl, she still annoyed the living shit out of him when Eren and he would go hard in fighting.

Today was one of those occasions, as Eren slammed on his back behind James. He'd flipped him when Eren foolishly charged in an attempt to faze James, who watched with amuesment. Mikasa glared at James as if he had done real damage, (which he didn't) when James had enough. "That's it, I'm done. He asks to learn, so let him already goddammit. Otherwise fight me yourself and be done with it." James spat at her.

She stood and much to Erens protest, took a fighting stance. James took his signature crouch, and waited for her to make the first move. Like his first fight with Annie, neither moved. In a moment of frustration, he charged while keeping his hands open. She went to evade, or so it seemed when she met him head on. _Damn, the girls solid as rock_. _'Good thing Im used to breaking rocks'_. Getting over his moment of being knocked back, he swung his left hand in a attempt to hit her ribs.

They started trading blows, some of them quite hard but neither was willing to show pain. He went for a jab to the ribs, when She blocked again and hit him dead in the face, breaking his nose. Other cadets who stopped to watch gasped, including Annie, who looked downright murderous at the Euro-asian. James staggered back a moment, his vision turned red. Mikasa saw the change on his face, and was preparing to stop another hit, when he suddenly charged and he rammed his knee into her stomach, winding her. He then swiped her legs before pinning her arms behind her back, growling.

She cried out as he pushed the arm further back in a hold, but he kept twisting, his anger starting to control him. She didn't submit, but he was starting to see she was in pain. Realizing he'd lost control, he let go quickly. He got up shaking a little, before he helped Mikasa to her feet apologizing. Or tried to, as she kicked his legs out from under him and punched him again. The red tint returned, and he headbutted her without a second thought. she collapsed groaning. This time he rose with anger rolling off of him, and he offered her no hand. Just a look of disgust, before he turned and walked to the woods, snapping a small but thick tree limb that got in his way.

Annie watched as it all played out, and went to follow when Reiner put a hand on her shoulder. She went to shrug him off when Sasha did the same, this time Annie was surprised. She was about to smack her hand away when she spoke "Look, I know he's angry but he needs to be alone for a while. Today's not a good day for him. Trust me." Annie looked confused for a moment, and Reiner elaborated with a hollow voice, "It's the anniversary of the fall. He's not gonna be pleasant to be around."

Annie saw Bertholdt looking dead a bit, and understood what was going through his head. _Hes even more quiet because he_ _caused all this_. Annie knew from their own talks, and even Sasha's conversations at times, that James had lost all his family the day Shinganshina fell to Ber- the _Collasal Titan,_ his sister to the Armored Titan. She knew he was in pain, but felt it might help if she talked to him about it. He always seemed happy around her, maybe she could help.

Annie sighed, and accepted their advice for now, but she knew she couldn't leave him out there. She owed him that much, Reiner and Bert did too. She'd give him some time to cool off before she went to him.

James had walked to the waters edge of the lake near the camp. He stood there for a moment looking into it's calmness, before he collapsed on his knees, sobbing. "It's been 3 years...3 _years_ since I failed you all. It's my fault, if I'd...if I'd..only been _fast_ enough, if I'd only made sure she _was through_...you'd all be alive." He choked out. he hadn't spoken to anyone but Sasha and Annie about home with detail.

The others had asked, Eren in particular seemed like he was a bit curious, and after he told them, their looks pitied him. Reiner had held him in a semi hug, while Bert had clapped on the back. He appreciated their sympathy, but he didn't tell them the _explicit_ details of what happened. He knew quite alot of them had lost family because of the Fall, even if they weren't from the same town as him. Bert and Reiner had both told him their village was raided by titans due to a late messenger.

James felt _more_ guilt, wondering what town he'd missed when he journeyed to spread the word. He knew he wasn't alone in his pain, but he was alone in the fact that he could've saved his. He stared at the water again, it's quietness keeping him from yelling out. He sat there, silently for at least an hour. He could see the sun starting to sink below the horizon. Dinner would be starting soon, and Annie would be wondering where he was. Annie.

He'd come to learn quite a bit about her, liking her strong yet caring personality. Sure she _seemed_ cold, but he could see she wasn'tthat way at heart. Yesterday, he'd _actually_ _made her laugh._ It hadn't been intended, he'd been teased by Reiner about always training with her, when James had retorted with "You seem to train a lot with Bert, should I tell Krista and Ymir? They might be able to finally get some alone time without you stepping in".

She'd seen the embarressed look Reiner's face, and Bert had chuckled awkwardly while blushing. She couldn't hold herself together. It started out small, but grew to a normal laugh. To him, it was wonderful, _so_ _happy_ , _so_ _genuine_. He actually stared at her like she just told him she had feelings for him. She noticed, and a small blush and smile made itself seen on her face.

He likes the way she smiled, her laugh, even her strong personality. She was the only person aside from Sasha who brought genuine happiness to his heart, not the every day joy of being surrounded by friends, comrades. Those two went a bit further in himself. Sasha was definitely family, but he wasn't sure what Annie was yet. He knew he had feelings for her, but he didn't know if they were returned.

He _did_ know she was _special_ , and so he had to keep himself together today. He knew his family wouldn't want him to do this to himself. They'd want him to move on, to grow from this, to become what he was at heart. A Warrior. He stood, and took a sharp rock for the lakeside, and cut his hand, watching it steam and heal, while repeating once more "I'm a Warrior, no matter what."

Annie had decided to go looking for James, she was starting to worry. It's been an hour now, and he still hasn't come back yet. She found a path that he seemed to follow, and arrived at the lake. He stood near the water, before he picked up a rock and cut himself. She was about to call out to him, when she saw his hand _steaming_ and healing. In that moment, she knew 3 things. James was possibly a shifter, like her. She felt a moment of overwhelming joy, glad that they could possibly be _together_ as _equals_ , before it died for a moment.

She knew who he'd lost his family to, those _very_ people were his _friends_. She saw the situation had just gotten even more complicated. But one last thing she began to feel: _She_ _didn't_ _care_. He was _different_ , He'd made her _smile,_ something she hadn't done in **_years_** She didn't feel that way back home but here, among those she was sent to infiltrate, she felt alive. A foolish hope came to mind, maybe it wouldn't turn out so bad. Maybe she _could_ have him.

But with this cruel world that they lived in, she knew it wouldn't be so easy. Like everything, she would need to _fight for it_ like James said. She had a mission, and now a _purpose_ , even if they went against each other.

She waited a few minutes watching him, before she called out his name "James! C'mon, it's time for dinner." He turned and his expression went from calm to happy again, and to her it was worth it. He got near her, and as they walked, he asked her a simple but big question to her "Will you eat with me tonight? I could really use someone to talk to, it's just...not a good day for me".

He looked at her with a bit of hope in his eyes, and she knew she couldn't take that from him. With a small smile, she told him "Sure, as long as you want me to." He told her "Of course, it's _You_. How can I resist?" with a smile on his face, not a big one, but one that made her feel good. The mission could wait for now, and there were others for it. Right now, she just wants to be happy. And this person made her feel that way, anytime she was with him. That's all that mattered, she'd take it.

 **Part 2 of this chapter will be out later today, I just hit the word limit for this** **chapter.**


	10. 10:Training-Annivesary

**Woooo ten chapters already! Now I've reedited this chapter due to recent reviews. Hopefully it's a bit smoother. I've taken all views into consideration. Story will explain more as it grows. As usual, leave as many reviews, tell me your thoughts**. **Or Pm me on here. I always check emails, but i haven't actually gotten messages on the app itself. I'm curious. Let us begin.**

Training-Anniversary

Tonight was different. Usually he'd be in the forest mourning, before shifting and raging about till he tired. For the first time in years James actually had company, people to talk to. He had family from Sasha this time, and some good friends. He knew the other 3 survivors from home must be having a rough day today.

Sasha met him earlier that morning, hugging him fiercely, which caught some of the other recruits attention. They snickered, thinking potato girl had a crush, until the fierce glare James sent their way shut their mouths. When he left, they were yelled at by Sasha for nearly ten minutes about why she hugged him.

Annie had walked by hearing the end of the rant with "..d _on't fuck with him today or I'll shove my foot right up your asses!!"_ She never heard potato girl this angry before, but didn't stop to ask about it. Annie figured she was talking about Connie, Sasha's _obvious_ _crush_ , that she hadn't thought it would be about _her_ _own_ little crush.

James sat across from Annie now, he just grabbed them both dinner. It was the first time they ate together _alone_ , and anyone could see they were both a bit nervous. A few of the cadets who knew his hometown including Reiner, Bert and Krista, gave him looks of sympathy. He was grateful for them, but he _was_ surprised to see Eren and Mikasa come up to him. He thought they would be angry about earlier.

He knew they nearly had someone important taken from them today, 3 years ago. But thanks to him, _they still had their mother._ But they were saddened with where their father was. Neither of them knew, and neither did their mother. It'd been a sore subject when James had asked, genuinely concerned. Just like his family was when Eren had asked. He'd apologized immediately when he saw the look on James face, but the hurt didn't change.

So it was quite a surprise when Eren gave him a half hug and a pat on the shoulder. James thanked him for it, but was confused when he nudged Mikasa. She certainly didn't look like a hugger unless it was Eren or Armin. Instead She tried to apologize about earlier, when James cut her off.

"It's fine, you don't need to. I'm actually sorry. I hurt you out of anger, because I couldn't keep my emotions controlled. I'm usually alone on this day, so I usually don't have to act...reserved. Again, I'm sorry. I'll try to keep myself together next time."

Mikasa stood there, she had a hard enough time trying to apologize. She felt guilty, seeing that she went too far before. Yet _he_ was saying sorry to _her_. She nodded slowly, and smiled a little, before tugging Eren back to Armin.

Annie watched with a bit of confusion, becauseJames was the one who seemed the most in pain today, and yet he was sorry to Mikasa. Sorry for brutally taking down the strongest cadet (or so it seemed) in the camp when she fought dirty. She tried to see what his reasoning was, she knew _she_ hadn't forgiven the half asian girl for hurting him. But she couldn't find a reason why, except that he really did feel bad for hurting her, though she hurt him first.

She thought to take his mind off of things, but she herself wasn't great with emotions. But it wouldn't hurt for her to try. "So..I saw what you did in the woods. Do you want to talk about it?" she asked quietly.

He stiffened a little, before he told her "It was more...relieving if anything. I decided I need to move on with myself. I can't keep dragging myself down, because I'll take others down with me. I didn't act then because I was afraid, and it cost them their lives. I know now...that I can't stay trapped in the past, or else I'll miss the present." She was a little shocked at that, and went to ask more when he obliged her.

"I didn't talk for those 3 years before I came here, I kept to the forests mostly. I began to lose myself, but I had a wakeup call. I'm sorry if im acting a little...off. But I don't want you to worry yourself over me, if that's what it's doing. I'm sor-" He was cut off as she took his hand and told him with a strange look in her eyes.

"No, don't apologise. You shouldn't feel guilty for things that weren't in your control. Just try and move past them, it's the easiest way to live with yourself. I have my own share of guilt. In my eyes, I'm not a good person myself." She told him with, what ' _regret_?'

He looked at her with a confused expression, he saw self hate on her face. He told her firmly "Hey. Don't be hard on yourself, your a good person to _Me_. Your strong, smart, a great fighter. _Beautiful_ too. I think your great." He looked down to keep eating, leaving her with the flurry of emotions that rushed into her head.

'No _, I'm not good. Not to myself or for anyone else...and yet he keeps telling me that I am. That I'm great. He can't mean it like that, he's just...confused about today. That's it. It has to be, he cant think that_ ** _Im_** _good, of all people?'_

She shook her head, before new thoughts worked their way in. _'But what if he's serious? What if he means it? But..Why me? I'm nothing to him. Not family like Sasha, or a good friend like Jaeger and Connie or Reiner. I'm just Annie, the girl who stays away from everyone else, the girl he likes to fight and talk with._

 _And he's..James. The boy she likes to spar with, and talks to whenever he wants. The guy she eats lunch with during training, the guy she likes to see happy. The guy who makes her smile with the simplest of things, who makes her feel happy, alive, inside. Who makes her feel special, feel lov-'_

She stops there, staring at him eating his portion of meat for a moment. ' _He **does** make me feel that, doesn't he?_ ' She realizes, her body shaking a little. ' _He makes me feel..as if I matter'_. She looks away as he looks up at her with a small smile on his face, oblivious to what he's done to her. He notices her distant look, "Hey. Annie, are you ok?". But she stays silent.

James notices she seems...off. ' _Was it something he did?'_ She looked very uncomfortable to him at the moment, avoiding his eyes. Maybe he said something wrong, thinking hard for a moment. He remembered her comforting him when he was having a hard time talking, and calling herself a bad person. He remembered him telling her she wasn't by any means, complimenting her. That she was good, even great to him. That's what he remembers saying, when it hits him.

'Shes _uncomfortable_ _, because I told her what I think of her.'_ He saw the sadness in her eyes when she told him what she thinks about herself. _'She doesn't like who she is. But why? She isn't bad, a little quiet at times if anything, but that's not bad. A bit blunt sure, but then again so's Ymir and she's fine with herself._ ' _Then again_ , _Ymir's_ a _bitch_ _sometimes.'_

Shaking his head, he calls her name. "Annie. Hey look, I'm sorry if what I said was too much. I just don't want you to feel bad about yourself, You don't deserve to be-".But she stopped him

"No, I do. But...you did make me feel _better_. You _do_ make me feel happy. It's just..your the first to say it to me. No one else does, except Bert and Reiner, but it's like family coming from them. I just never heard it from anyone else. _Thank you, thank you so much"_. He sat there for a moment, before a small smile grew.

He took her hand lightly, and told her with small joy in his voice "Your welcome. If your feeling down, and want to talk, just ask. I'll listen, like I said I would. I _promise_ ". Those words rang in her head, the meaning of them so foreign to her.

She never heard them from _anyone_ before, not even her father when she was struggling during her training. ' _He actually cares.'_ She tries not to cry in front of anyone, especially him, but feels herself failing. She thanks him for dinner and leaves. He doesn't stop her out of respect, but he feels again confused. "I can't get it right, can I?" Sighing, he finishes his dinner as Sasha and Connie come over to sit with him.

Connie was first to ask "Dude, what'd you say to her? She looked ready to cry" James shook his head "I think its just _how_ I said it, i told her what I thought of her".

Sasha gasped, knowing what he said. "Ouch man, that's a little harsh don't you think?" Connie said, not realizing how James felt about Annie.

"Connie, I told her I _liked_ her. What are you blind and bald?" James snapped frustrated, before sighing. "Look, I'm sorry Connie. I just wanted her to know how I felt. She's always so sad, _like she hates herself_ , it hurts me to see her that way. Its also why I like fighting with her, she looks _alive_. I just want her to be happy. I care about her, Connie. I just hoped that she felt the same."

With that he excused himself to go to the barracks. As he stepped outside the door to the mess room, he was pulled roughly to the side. As he turned to see who grabbed him so rudely, he found a set of shaking arms wrapping around him. He stood there shocked for a moment, before he saw that it was _Annie_ holding him.

James was flustered, _'She hugged me, SHE'S HUGGING ME?!'_ too stunned to do anything. His heart was soaring. Annie broke the hug.

In a whisper, she asked " _Do you mean it, about.. making me happy? Actually caring how I feel?_ " with an anxious look, almost as if she were going to cry. He looked at her, and saw how much she _needed this._ He looked her dead in the eye and took her hands in his, with the same tone he used before.

"I mean it all. I _do_ care Annie. You shouldn't be so sad, all alone. I know what it's like, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone, especially _you_. You interested me so much in the beginning, I couldn't find out what drew me to you. Then we fought each other, and I saw how much you enjoyed it. I saw how _happy_ you looked then, and I wanted you to be that way more. I grew to like you even more when we talked. _I care about you, Annie Leonhardt_ "

She smiled, tears flowing, and hugged him. He returned it, and she felt warm. A warmth she never felt before, in the cold all her life. He could be her hearth, her warmth. No matter how short it might be in this cruel world.

She'd like that.


	11. 11:Training-Partners

**Alright, I'm going to be doing the style of writing recommended to me by you guys. Also this chapter will be coming a little later then usual do to my internet going out in my area, but it's back as I'm writing this now. Season 2 has been keeping me happy, even though I'm also a manga reader. I've recently read the latest chapter 93, and it's pretty intense. So again I'm not going to be having the real story in this after the female Titan arc and the Stohess raid. It'll change to it's own thing after that, while mixing with the southern groups arc. As usual, leave your thoughts in a review. Let us begin.**

Training- Partners

A few months had passed, and now the cadets were far in the forest training with their ODM gear. Fast bursts of gas launched the cadets through the thick tangles of trees. Though it was an exercise, they still had fun showing off their skills. Leading as usual, were the top of the class with the gear: Mikasa stoic as ever, zipped through without a glance back. Jean made sure to show off by rapidly changing direction. But there was one more, enjoying it more than anyone else.

James flew through the trees as if he'd done it all his life, which in his case, was true. Without any hesitation, he ducked in and out of the trees. He rose above the rest to flip and fall freely for a moment, before he let loose another burst and rocketed back up.

He was feeling pretty damn good when he put things into consideration. He was excelling in nearly everything: hand to hand, ODM, tactical assessment and general intelligence in classes. The only one who could rival him in the later was Armin, who James learned was an incredibly smart if somewhat physically unfit soldier. He respected the boys views on the world, (hopeful but realistic) and offered to help him improve his stamina as well as his fighting. It was slow work, but like Eren, James could see passion in his eyes to keep going, to get better.

He still spared with Annie almost all the time, otherwise it was Eren and sometimes Reiner or Bert. Since the others didn't have the nerve to ask, he usually stayed with them. Even Mikasa didn't try when he spared with Eren, though it was more out of respect than fear, or so he hoped. He was happy Annie didn't seem afraid of him, which meant they could fight dirty if need be. They both knew it wasn't to hurt the other, though it may have seemed like a death match to anyone else.

His "relationship" with Annie had progressed to them hanging out and talking more, which made them both happy. However, at times Annie's fighting had become a little more... flirtatious. If she pinned him, and he submitted, her hands would linger till he made to get up. Her eyes would scan his body, just to take him in. Sometimes he even let himself get pinned so that he could watch her, watch him.

He even teased her about it. "My my, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were coming onto me _Leonhardt_." eyeing her with a smile bright as the sun.

She smirked and replied "Just making sure my partner isn't crippled by my Superior fighting, _Draekon. Otherwise_ I might get _bored._ "

He laughed at that last bit, _and_ the challenge she threw out there so casually.

"Please, you look bored all the time your not near me. And since when's your fighting better? Most of ours end with us choking the other before calling truce. Although you know I'm always up for another. Nothing beats getting choked out by _You_."

The flirty, yet goofy way he said it threw her off, and she couldn't help it. She joined in with her own small giggling, a smile tugging at her cheeks. He loved the way she laughed, she seemed almost like an entirely different person. And when he did make her smile, his world lit up as if he saw a goddess.

But at times it would draw in attention from the others, Ymir and Reiner couldn't resist the chance to tease the two. "Just get a room already. We know you want to." Reiner said to them.

"You're practically at _it_ when your _groping_ each other on the ground" Ymir smirked when they had another truce moment.

"Why don't you and Reiner get one, it'll help you guys decide who's better for Krista." James replied with bite. Following his lead, Annie told the freckled brunette "Who knows, you two might even enjoy _each_ _other,_ and Krista might even be open for Armin." That shut them up for a moment, and before either could snap back, said small blonde came over to ease the situation.

"Enough already. C'mon guys, if you can't handle each other here how are you gonna handle the wilderness tests? We're gonna have to help each other. Can't you play nice?" Krista told the group, hoping it would. As usual, Ymir practically gushed over hearing her sweet voice.

"Always looking out for others, how nice. Maybe you should pair up with me for then, you could keep an eye on me... _and I could_ _keep one on you_ " She told the short blonde, raising her eyebrows a little.

"Nice try fox face, but you know we don't get a choice. Otherwise I'd be first to sign us up...as long as she was up for it" Reiner butted in, flashing a smile at Krista, who rolled her eyes at the two.

"I'd go with who ever asked first, but I wouldn't mind going with either of you. Your both my friends." ' _Always so nice, so willing to be a friend to everyone_.' James had to smile at the kindness she radiated. Sometimes though, he felt the girl should just say what was on her mind instead of trying to please everyone. As she left them, they all heard her say under her breath "But Armin is _quite_ _cute, and nice.._ " leaving her "suitors" flustered as James shared a laugh with Annie.

"Hm, as long as I'm not with Ackerman or Jaeger, I'm fine. I can't stand her attitude, and I heard _he_ wakes everyone up because of his damn dreams." Anne said tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. James agreed, though he got nervous. Because _he_ still didn't sleep right.

He made peace with himself months ago during the anniversary of the fall, but he still had a hint of self blame. His dreams weren't nearly as bad as Eren's were, much to his thanks. James knew he went through enough shit to drive a _normal_ person insane, but he did his best to keep himself under control.That led up to his guilt crisis back in the first 3 weeks, which he got through thanks to those he now called friends.

He knew he wouldn't have a choice of who he was paired with for the first trial, though he knew the others allowed them to choose their groups of up to 6. First test was simple: survive for a week, and make it back. The others were war games between each group to reach an objective before the other. Those would only take as long as they did to get there. But he knew that the first was in the winter, and whoever he was with would be sleeping _pretty close_ to him.

This fact made him a little anxious, as it depended on his partner. If it were Krista, he'd never hear the end of the threats coming from Reiner and Ymir on where he kept his hands and eyes. If he got Sasha he'd be fine, they'd camped in the forest together many times before, so nothing new. Ymir might drive him insane, and he'd end up strangling the freckled girl. Reiner wouldn't be so bad, but he could hear the teasing about wishing it was Annie even now.

Speaking of Annie, she _was_ his one choice aside from Sasha that he would be fine with.

It was difficult to say what they were exactly, since he was nervous about asking her out, and she kept herself reserved after her breakdown a few months ago. Granted they still spared, talked, teased and ate together, but they were both afraid to go farther than that. Neither of them could deny the chemistry they had, or the fact that they were together more than anyone else. But they hadn't _talked_ about it, though they wanted to, and were in a conundrum.

Their friends noticed, and asked them about it. And while they didn't really have an answer, their friends didn't push it much. Some were just curious, like Armin or Bert. But there's those without any tact whatsoever, like Connie.

"So you two kiss yet, or is that way behind what you guys do now?" with a knowing smirk on his face, as they got up from _another_ flirty sparingsession.

James stared at him for nearly 10 seconds, fighting the urge to smack Connie upside the head. He glanced at Annie, looking for an answer. She met his eyes for a moment widening, before she blushed and walked away. James and Connie watched her go, and He smacked the bald boy's head. "OW! What the hell was that for?"

"Nice going shorty. Now how am I supposed to ask her!" James exclaimed. " I finally get her to open up more and then this! You could've been discreet, but nooo just be bold and ask right?"

"Wait..you guys _aren't together_?!" Connie asked, surprised. He saw how the two were, especially _how Annie was_ around James. She was practically _alive_ near him, so he thought they were official.

Said boy sighed in frustration "No, I've been trying to get her to open up a bit more, so that I could ask her out. I know you guys see how she acts but she still hides herself away, even from _Me_. I just want to ask her myself. I really want to know how she feels about me. I mean, I know I make her happy, she told me so herself, but she's still... _afraid_ of letting anyone in. I'm not sure if she's afraid of _Me_ , or _what the others will think_. I care less what they think, but I think she cares too much, even under that mask. I just...I don't know Connie. And I hate not knowing."

Seeing his friend down like this hit Connie hard, James was one of the group's unofficial leaders. He argued that Mikasa was more of a leader, or even Reiner. He was there for all of them, but he didn't think of himself as one. He didn't _want_ to lead, but he pulled through and did a _helluva_ job when he had to.There had to be some way Connie could help him. He racked his head for a moment, thinking of how hegot with Sasha. Lots of jokes, compliments, and _food_ , but in the end, he just asked. ' _That's it_!'

"Hey James, _why don't you just_ _ask_ _her_. Dont overstress yourself and just do it. It's what I did with Sasha, it can't go bad. She _adores_ you, we all see how she stares. I'm sure she'll say yes." Connie told James.

 _'Yeah, that could work, simple works pretty well. "_ Hey, Thanks Connie. I'll give it a shot tomorrow."

"No problem, but just tell her the truth. That's all I can say." He told James, giving him a pat on the back.

' _I'll ask her. Connie's right, for once. It can't go that bad._ '


	12. 12:Training-Questions

**Thankful for those reviews, glad you guys like the improvements. So as I once said before, the Training Arc will be longer than I planned, but I did want a long story. At this rate, I might be looking at more chapters than I thought. I can promise that the next 4 or 5 are still training, then I'll begin the Trost campaign. As usual drop a review and let me know your thoughts. Happy Reading.**

Training-Questions

James woke up early the next day, with fire in his eyes. ' _Today was the day'_ , he'd been thinking of ways to talk with her without being noticed by the others. Ditching sparing practice or waiting till after dinner were his best chances. The rest of the time would be near their friends, and he knew she had a hard enough time _really_ opening up to him, even alone.

He decided to try ditching practice first, if she would go for it. If not, he still has dinner to try. But he swore to himself _'Im asking_ _today, no excuses'._ He knew he had a while before the others woke, so he decided to take a dip in the lake. The place was a refuge when he was stressed. He liked the way it put his mind at ease, just him and the soothing water.

He arrived at his destination, taking off his clothes for a swim. He set them down on a large log, and waded out till he was covered. The water was comfortable today, not hot or freezing. He turned over and swam, enjoying it. While most of the cadets had no idea how, living alone in the wilderness gives a person some advantages. Even if it comes at the cost of company. He dove and rose back up, letting his mind wander, unaware someone was watching him.

Annie had been sitting at the lakeside for a few minutes, thinking about her life up to this point. It was full of nothing but pain, and cold. Rigorous training by her father after her mother passed away, no time for herself. Being raised to be a fighter, a Warrior for Eldia. She knew the situation her people were in, with the Beast Titan attacking them more. She knew her mission, but even now she still didn't want it.

She felt like a _murderer_ , even if she only knew. She didnt want to befriend anyone, only to betray them in the end. She didn't want to be among these people, who she lied to everyday. For a long time, she was nothing more than guilt and silence. But then _he_ came along.

The boy who asked her who she was, as if he was actually interested by her. She blew him off at first, not wanting to get close. But then he said the word that caught her ear, _warrior_. He apologized, respecting her decision to be alone. But he offered to talk if she wished. She was wary, afraid she'd been caught, until she realized he had spoken about _himself,_ not _her._ He'd called himself one, with the air of regret. ' _Could he be like_ _her_?' As crazy as it sounded, she wanted to know. So, she gave him a chance. She talked to him 2 days later, when she was ready. And she was _grateful_ to this day that she did.

She grew to know who James Draekon was, the kind but strong guy who fought for those he called friends, now family. He seemed careful at first, when he told her of himself, as if she would be _afraid_ of him. He told her how he knew Sasha, when she asked. He told her his thoughts on the world, his reason for fighting.But he hadn't spoken about his past. It was a dark subject, she knew from the way his eyes got empty. She was curious, since she was told by Reiner and Bert that she had the same, dead eyes. They were the eyes of the guilty. _'But what was his guilt for?'_

She heard from the first night from Sasha, Krista and Ymir of how he had no one left from the fall. She asked Sasha, and she explained that he had survivors guilt, that he " _caused_ " it. It shook her inside, knowing that she knew those _actually_ responsible. She felt guilty, and a bit jealous, that Sasha knew all this. But then after helping Eren, she came up to him, wanting to talk more. She decided it couldn't hurt, but was extremely flattered when he complemented her on her stature.

He offered to spar with her, and she took the opportunity to learn more about him. When their fight ended with their first truce, they decided to get to know more about the other.

They talked, complimenting each other's fighting skills, and even his training at a young age, (like her), but he still avoided his family. But then on the anniversary, he confessed his guilt to her at dinner, finally getting over it. She was surprised by how easily she talked to him, compared to anyone else. It felt _natural_ , as if she didn't _need_ to be secretive, though she still was with _what_ she was. No one could know, they'd _hate her, despise her._

At least, that's what she was raised to _believe_. Her father, cold as the winter snow, had once, just once shown _actual_ emotion. On the day she left, he had given her one last request: to come home. She was puzzled at this, especially the way he said it.

" _Annie...I'm so sorry. I don't expect you to forgive me, but please...please just..Stand your ground. Stand your ground even if the whole world stands against you!_ "

She stood in shock as he held her close for the first time in her life. He began to cry silently into his daughters shoulder.

"They'll despise you, they won't understand... _but I will. Your dad always will!_

 _So please_ promise me you'll return. That's all I ask"

She still hadn't reacted, when Bert, Reiner and Marcel came to collect her. But as she left her home, a tear made its way down her face.

She had a taste, just a lick, of real love. Of caring, and understanding. All the years of nothing had made her as closed off as her father..But sitting here now, she knew that a part of herself still wanted it. She _wanted_ to be loved. But she couldn't do that here, not by those who wouldn't understand her. Who would treat her like a monster... _unless_ _they were ones as well_. She knew two, but there might be another. Like her.

 _Him_ , _James_. The person she believes is like her, a wolf among sheep. The guy who listens to her, who seems to care what she thinks. The guy she feels happy around, who told her he'd be there if she needed him. The same guy who told her she was a _great_ person, even if she didn't believe it. The same person who she knew liked her, but was afraid to ask, out of respect. She knew he cared, but he respected her so much that he was ready to wait for _Her_. Though the gesture sent waves of flattery through her, she wished he would ask already.

As she mused things over, she heard footsteps coming towards the lake. She got up and hid behind a tree, and waited for whoever it was. _And of course, it was_ _Him_.

She stayed quiet, he seemed unaware she was there. He stared at the water for a moment, before _he stripped down_ to swim. She held her breathe and blushed as she took his body in. Sure she saw him up close while fighting, but now she's seeing _more_ of him.

He wasn't fully _naked,_ but she saw his back and legs. The sight nearly made her gasp. Large scars adorned his sides, some running in parallels, as if he had been clawed by wild animals. Bite marks on his ankles, and calves, like he'd been _eaten_ , but long since healed. His neck had one scar, that ran from his nape down to where the bottom of his left shoulder blade. What made the scar stand out more, was the fact that it looked like it was made by a _knife_. As if he'd been caught by someone, and tortured. The thought made her bristle with anger and she growled a little. She thought of him here now, leading her to believe that who did it wasn't _alive_. With how he fought, she knew it wasn't painless when he got even. Whoever did it suffered, which pleased her in a odd way.

She watched as he went into the water and swam like he lived in it. She knew how to swim, but the way he moved made her look like a beginner, as opposed to his animalistic way of doing so. She saw the same calm and serenity when the cadets first used their ODM gear in the forests. He looked at ease compared to the others, _thrilled_ to be flying at such a scary height. She was enraptured by his display that she almost didn't notice him coming back to shore. She waited in her hiding spot, and saw him emerge in an odd way.

He swam to the end of the water before crawling out on all fours like some animal. Once he was out of it, he rose up and stretched, she saw another set of scars running up his stomach to his chest. They too were claw marks, which made her question _what_ he went through out there. He looked as if he fought animals like one himself, getting up close and personal to fight.

But he stood here now, giving the aura of a _predator_ , a _fierce one_ at that. He went to put on his clothes, before he slipped by the log. He fell, stabbing his hand on a small branch that jutted out. It pierced his hand, spearing his palm. She almost came out to help, but what he did next shocked her.

He pulled out the wood, giving a small grunt. It left a bullet-sized hole in his hand, but she saw _steam_ rising from it. Before her widening eyes, his flesh sealed up in half a minute. Afterwards, he began pulling on his clothes. Her thoughts were in a jumble, but She had no doubt now: James _was_ a shifter.

 _'He **is** like Me! Can I trust him more now? Can he know...about me, or does he already? Is **that** what held him back? Did he want to see if I was one too?_ '

She was so distracted, that she didn't notice he'd finished getting dressed. His back was to her, but he spoke aloud.

''I _know it's you, Annie._ Can you come out? There's _something_ I want to ask.'

She waited a moment, before walking to him. His back was still to her, as if he was ashamed.

"You know?" He asks.

"..Yes" She replies, after a moment. He turns to her.

"This isn't how I wanted you to know. I wanted to tell you myself."

"Its alright James, I _understand_." _'And I do',_ she thinks.

"Its just, before I ask. _Do you feel the same way_?" he asks.

"What?" she says, confused by this.

"I mean, do you _like me_ the way _I like you_?" It takes her off guard. He turns and looks into her eyes now.

"I..." But she's flustered. _'He's talking about_ _**this**?!_ _What do I say? I **know** I like him, but can I even tell him about me?_'

She knows what she _should do_ , and what she _wants_ to. All her life, it's been about what she _has t_ _o_ do, no matter what. In that moment, she knows.

"Yes James, I do." _'It doesn't matter, it's what I **want** '_

He smiles, and asks "So Annie Leonhardt, will you be my girlfriend?" eyes hopeful.

"Yes" crying a little. "I will" They embrace each other.

No longer alone, they now have each other.


	13. 13:Training-Primeval

**Good to hear from you GuineapigsOP, glad you enjoyed the new style. Alright** **, major chapter here folks. I watched episode 6, and while I knew exactly what was gonna happen, it still hurt my feels to see it. The music was PERFECT. It's partly why this chapter was delayed,it hit that hard. Also, this story will have some dark parts to it in future chapters.** **As usual, drop a review and let me know if you liked it. Let us begin.**

Training- Primeval

"Are you sure?" He asks, ever the gentleman. Even after she told him it was alright, he wanted to be sure she approved. She loves that about him, the way he treats her. With love, and respect. In turn, she was more than happy to give it back to him.

"Yes, I'm sure James. Its fine. I promise" She replies, in a firm tone, but there's worry in it. He knows it's a lot to ask of her.

"And I'll always be there to make sure. Listen, it'll be fine, I promise." he says as he pulls her into a hug.

A few days passed since that moment at the lake, and while they were relieved being united, the others still were curious. Neither of them wanted to lie, for their _own_ _reasons_ , but they still hadn't told them. James was nervous, but was fine compared to the anxiety Annie felt.

She has a hard time expressing herself to others, except James. But she knows she's been more open around him, so maybe it could get better. Right now, they were on their way to tell a few of their friends. Not everyone in the 104th, but the few who they were close with, from Reiner and Eren to Sasha and Krista.

It was the end of the day, and most were walking back to the mess hall for dinner. As usual there is always a few who talked and walked slower behind the rest. The new couple could see most of those they were willing to tell, except Marco and Bertholdt, who were farther ahead. Holding their hands tight they made they're way over, they tried to act casual. But of course it was seen immediately by Reiner and Connie.

"Well well! It's about time you two did it! Tell me, you guys play tongue tag yet?" Reiner asked with a large grin. Connie laughed until the glare Annie sent his way shut him up.

Reiner was used to her glares, unfazed, and continued "I'll take that as a _no_. Figured you two wouldn't have stopped if you did, the way you two _grab_ each other during fights is close enough." Ymir, who overheard while walking with Krista, snickered.

"So, they finally tell each other or what? Otherwise it'll be _really_ awkward next time they spar and we see it turn into _something else."_ she asks a still chuckling Reiner, who's laughs get even louder.

"Ymir! What they do is _their business_ , if they go that far! C'mon, they finally told each other how they felt, leave them be." Krista scolds the tall brunette, before she turns and gives James and Annie a warm smile.

Krista was glad the two finally admitted their feelings to each other, even if it was painfully obvious before. James was glad for the help, and she knew Annie was too, from the way her eyes softened slightly at the small blonde. They were both brought back by more grins by Reiner, Ymir and Connie, who were huddled by each other.

"And what better time then the survival test? Think about it, you two are gonna be _together_ in the cold with nothing but _each other for heat!_ _And I know you two are gonna find another way to stay warm aside from fighting_! Haha!" Connie told them, with a smirk on his bald face. Both of them blushed and looked away.

James was faster to respond " Well if that's true, I _hope_ Iget Annie. Wouldn't it suck be to be stuck out there _snuggling_ with _Ymir_ , Reiner? Or how about you Connie? I know you want Sasha, hate to see you get _Jean_ or Eren. Krista might be by paired with _Armin_ , and I _know you two lugs don't want that. Especially with how she sees him"_. Smirking at the quick jabs he threw at them.

Again all their smirks dropped, and this time they didn't return. Eren came walking by with Mikasa and asked "They get together yet, or are they still in denial? It's getting old to watch." _'these people. Are we even here?'._ Sighing in annoyance, he pinched the bridge of his nose.

" _Yes_ Eren. _We're finally together._ We came to tell you guys but you all keep making jokes about it. It's starting to get annoying." He growled. Eren stood back, and was about to snap back with that famous Jaeger anger, when his "sister" grabbed his arm.

"Sorry for that, James. It's just we've all seen how you two are with each other, we thought it would've happened a lot sooner. We've all been waiting." The comment eased Eren, but irked James. Mainly because it was coming from _her_.

Thought Eren himself didn't see it, or was simply used to it, James _knew_ how his sister viewed him. She practically was obsessed with being near him, and everyone in the camp could tell. She never made a move, though they knew she wanted to.

Jean in particular was very ticked at this, because he had a crush on the Asian girl. And it pissed him off even more when Eren shrugged off his sister's affection, thinking it was her being overprotective. This led to many fights, like the one that happened when they all got into the mess hall.

It began with the usual stuff, Eren talking about killing the Titans, while Jean called him idiotic. Both calling the other names, _horse face, suicidal bastard,_ the same old stuff. But James had a splitting headache that began after they grabbed their food, and the yelling _wasn't_ helping.

"You two mind shutting the hell up already? Some of us enjoy the peace while we eat. _Knock it off_ or I'll end it myself."

Already annoyed with each other, they both rose to fight him, Mikasa and James mirrored them. Mikasa put a arm on her brother to stop, but Eren threw it off. This in turn pisses Jean off who grabs Erens shirt.

"Stop being so fucking rude to _her_!" He yells, hating how Eren had no clue how lucky he was.

Having enough, James grabbed both of them and slammed their heads into the other. He then swept both their legs out. They crumpled, clutching their heads and knees, groaning. Mikasa stood glaring at James for the way he broke it up, but stayed silent. She knew it was necessary, but that didn't mean she had to like it.

" _Now will you two shut the hell up?!_ _Who CARES? Both of you probably won't see each other again once we graduate, you'll go your own ways. So for now just do us all a huge favor and shut up about who's right or wrong! It doesn't matter, your both wrong for bothering the rest of us!"_

Satisfied by the shocked looks of those around him, and the quiet the two on the floor gave, he returned to his seat. Most of the cadets stared at him, even Annie, though she knew he was already frustrated about how earlier went. Add the headache from these two arguing and it was enough to make him snap when he usually wouldn't.

But while they were still reeling from the shouting match the door cracked opened, and there stood Instructor Shadis with a terrifying look on his face. Eyes looking as if they were burning into their very souls, he asked a single question "Someone wanna tell me what that ruckus I just heard was? I _do hope_ _everything's_ _alright_ " the end putting them on edge.

No one said anything, till Mikasa did something that would shock them for years to come. She raised a hand and told him "Sasha passed some gas Commadant."

Silence overtook them all, followed by Sasha's gasp. They held back laughter with tears coming out of their eyes. Only the fear of what Shadis would do to whoever laughed kept them from bursting out. Said Instructor took the girls statement without a second glance.

"Why am I not surprised? For the love of God, learn some self control." and with that, he closed the door and left.

No one spoke for nearly 30 seconds, before a giggle escaped from Mina. The rest tried to keep composed, but then all at once everyone burst out laughing. Tears came from their eyes, while Sasha grabbed Mikasa and shook her, asking why she said such a thing. James took pity, it _was_ _funny_ , but still he offered her his bread.

"Hey Sash! Here!" tossing her his loaf, which she leapt and caught like an animal though he shouldn't talk, he lived and acted like one for 3 years. Mikasa did the same, and potato girl gladly accepted their portions. Annie and James finished their dinner, chatting about training before leaving together. Naturally it brought some teasing from Reiner about them going to their _own_ barracks.

The pair rolled their eyes before James did something that was both good, because it shut up the big blonde, but bad because it brought attention to the other small blondes of the 104th.

"Hey Armin, didn't you tell me you thought Krista was cute? You might want to ask her, I think she feels the same" before winking at said blondes as the room behind them erupted into chaos.

"She's mine coconut cut!" Ymir yells.

"Leave him alone you freckled witch, she's into guys! That said Armin _, stay away from her._ "

James and Annie laughed at the poor blondes he just decoyed drew attention from his and Annie's little _escape_. He knew he'd have to apologise at some point, but he didn't have it in him tonight. His headache was clearing up, and they were the only ones outside. They had some privacy, to enjoy themselves without being bothered. They walked down to the lake, and sat on the very log that James had pierced himself on.

They sat there, staring at the stars and the moon. Neither said a word, but enjoyed being by each other. But Annie had a worry in the back of her mind, one that was major to James.

The weight of her mission fell back on her shoulders, but the warmth that came with being next to James eased the worry flowing through her. She knew he was one of them, but she was still _unclear_ about his _motivations_.

She knew he hated her fellow shifters with a sickening, primal hate, only matched by Jaeger's. With the revelation of him being a shifter, his origins before camp began to come together. She remembered 4 years ago when Reiner returned from his part of the plan.

He told her and Bert about _another shifter_ that fought him at the gate, that spoke to him. The two were shocked, as Reiner described the fierce battle that happened. He almost lost, but he got the upper hand and rammed his target.

But then he began to cry, his body shaking. He told them of a girl who stood her ground.

How his foe had mourned the girl. How he had killed one of their own.


	14. 14:Training-Puzzle

**Picks up** **where 13 left off, flashback for a good portion. Sorry for the delay, been watching Monster Musume(might write some fics about it) and the latest AoT episode, _again_. Adapted quite nicely, music was beautifully done. But always end with those cliffhangers! As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

Training- Puzzle

Annie sat there remembering Reiner's sobs, his guilt. It still haunts her, and she hears it all again. It made even more sense since she discovered James secret a few days ago. That's when the pieces began fit together with horrible clarity.

 _Flashback_

"She just _stood_ there, like she wanted to _fight_ me too. She watched me get closer, Why didn't she just _get out of the way_?!?" He cries, holding his head between his hands.

"Reiner, I know it's hard, but we have to do this. She was just-" Annie went to say, but Reiner cut her off with a crazed yell.

 ** _"She was a shifter!!! I killed one of our own! Her blood is on my hands_**!" He seemed more disturbed at the _possibility_ of this. But, why does he think she was _like_ _them_?

She asked him "Reiner, you don't know that. It can't be, they wouldn't let us inside the walls remember? _Otherwise we wouldn't need to do this_. How could she have been one?"

She still couldn't explain the one that fought Reiner, but then he told her something that destroyed her doubts. Something that would add to the guilt she already had by association with them.

"Because... _because_ when I destroyed the gate, that other shifter knocked me away and went to her body. It completely ignored me, it began tossing the rubble. It _wept, Annie. It was mourning because I killed someone it knew, someone like itself, it's **family**! I broke the law Annie!!"_ He yells, his eyes wide with the certainty that he broke one of Eldia's most strict laws since the Beast Titan had appeared.

The law stated 'To never kill another shifter, unless they choose to be an enemy'. Their people were near extinction, but they were all _united_. Though their kind had disputes before between settlements, they never spilled _innocent_ blood like the Haired Titans did. Battles are one thing, outright _genocide_ was another. That's why they had warriors, who only fought when needed. The rest of their people lived peaceful lives, maintaining their homes and villages from mindless Titans that strayed too close.

But when it all changed, when villages were wiped out completely by the Beast Titan, the law was made to ensure _no_ shifter blood was spilled over petty disputes anymore. Many were happy for this, their kind was now united under a single oath, a common goal. To break such a law, the punishment was simple: execution. In other words, he now had a guaranteed death sentence should they ever tell this to the commanders back home.

 _Especially if they failed, because then they wouldn't have a home to go back to._

 _Flashback end._

Annie knew she had to keep this secret to herself, she couldn't tell them. Reiner might break, and they'd all be compromised. Or worse, he might think that James was a threat, and try to kill him. Bertholdt couldn't be told either, he already had guilt knowing he killed James parents with rubble. He kept to himself mostly, but he still became friends with the others. Reiner used the cadets to keep his guilt away, being a big brother to them. They both seemed to enjoy being soldiers, more than they did being warriors.

Annie herself even began to like feeling like a soldier. But deep down, she knew she couldn't. Annie had saw the flaw with acting like one of them, the part where they got attached to those they might be forced to kill. ' _T_ _he_ _irony'_

Annie herself couldn't talk, seeing where she was now. She had opted to stay away from them to avoid the pain, and yet here she was in a relationship with one of them. Though, _Jame's_ _wasn't really one of them either._ He too was an actor, hiding his secret from even her. He probably thought she would see him as a monster, like the rest of humanity did. But she would only see him as he was, _James_. An equal, someone who relates to her, an outsider among these people.

She decides she would keep his secret to herself, and cross that bridge should he reveal himself. But she needs to know _what he was fighting for,_ why he was a _warrior_ in his eyes. He wasn't hellbent about killing Titans like Jaeger was, but he did have a hated for them. Especially the Armored Titan, more than even the Collasal, who took his parents. He would always tense and glare silently whenever either name was mentioned. But when the first was said, he had such _rage_ in his eyes, a _hungry_ look. Like a wolf that was once wounded and saw it's attacker now helpless. The sheer need, _desire_ for revenge.

 _Almost as if he wanted to rip him to pieces, and devour him._ _To not be human, or shifter. To be a monster, a terrible avenger_..

It scared her at times, but she was able to calm him down a bit. His eyes would soften a little, but he would always stay quiet till the conversation changed. She sighs and pulls closer to him on the log. He pulls her in and wraps his arm around her, and flashes her a warm smile. Oblivious to the things clouding her mind, probably thinking of her. She shouldn't be thinking about this right now, she should be happy around him, like he was.

She pushed the dark thoughts into a far corner, for now she was thinking of their upcoming tests in the wilderness. A few more months, and she'd be paired up with someone (hopefully James) for about a week in the middle of winter.

Now while to many of them this seemed like sheer torture, some were looking forward at the _possibly_ being paired with those they liked. Annie knew whoever she got would be sleeping in the tent, if they were even provided with them. But there too was the fear of being paired with someone they didn't, like Jaeger and Jean.

Those two would _definitely_ kill each other out there in the woods. She trained like this before in Eldia, so she knew she could rely on herself. Which is why she wants James as her survival partner, to show off her skills, like she does in fighting.

But she also knew James had q _uite_ a life in the woods, from the scars she saw, to the stories Sasha told of them hunting in Dauper. He probably was out there even more than the hungry hunter herself, if what he said about living alone for 3 years was true. She was curious to see how he would act, how he survived out there.

She was also curious about whether she would see him hunt, since they would need to find food some way. Rations only go so far, and they taste terrible. She didn't take him for the big veggie type, though he always eats them. If the scars and bite marks on his body were anything, it's that _he was a_ _predator_. That he likes his meat, probably still fighting.

"Hey Annie, can I ask you something?" He says suddenly.

"Sure, what is it?"

"I know this is going to sound _odd, and don't take offense,_ but do you ever get the feeling..you didn't _belong?_ Like you _want to_ be apart of something, but _can't_ , because of _what you are?_ " It took her by surprise, because she felt it had a deeper meaning behind it.

 _'Does he feel like a monster? Is he afraid of what I would think of him?'_ She doesn't think he is one, nor does she think she ever would. She saw how he was, how he acted to her and people in general. _He's_ the good person, even if he doesn't think so. 'Hmm _sounds familiar..'_

 _'All the time, because it's true. I feel it all the time, because **I'm** not the good person here'. _ she says to herself. But she can't tell him that, not _what she really means_. But she doesn't wish to lie to him, so she answers him as best she could.

"In a way, I do, I feel like I don't belong here. If I'm honest, I feel like an outsider. Most would agree, but _you_ wouldn't. I can't see why you like me so much, I'm not worth it, in my eyes." She states in a sullen tone.

But inside, she's happy that he thinks shes worth something. It makes her feel special, in a good way. Not the way that separates her from these people. He rolls his eyes at what she says.

He turns more to her, still annoyed that she thinks this. " _Your a good person to me, remember_? I _meant_ that when I said it, you know. Why don't you believe it? It's not like you've _killed_ someone, and _even then I wouldn't peg you doing it for no reason._ " he chuckled lightly, though the topic grew a little dark.

He can't call himself a good person by any means, because he has the blood of one person on his hands, as a human. He's killed about 8 dozen Titans since he became an orphan, and he only injured humans in self defense. But the temptation was there in some moments, when he felt the anger trying to guide him. But he always kept it held back, because he didn't _want_ to be a murderer. Even if he _was a monster_ in the literal description, one that could slaughter hundreds of people should he choose.

But he _didn't_ , so he thought he was more of a necessary 'killer'. He protected people in need, and killed Titans. He decided long ago he wouldn't kill a human, unless _he had no choice._ He'd only had that feeling once, he didn't regret doing it. He _regretted that he caused trouble for someone else_ because of his actions. He had placed burden on someone else yet again. The very person he had killed to save, _Sasha._

He wouldn't go that far unless he needed to. And in the world they live in, he fears it _will_ happen. He just hopes that the next time, it won't have the same effect afterwards. If he would take a life, he would take the blame.

He noticed Annie had been quiet all the while he'd been thinking, so maybe he had gone too far just now.

Sighing, he opened his mouth to talk "I'm sorry if I sounded a bit..weird there. I just don't like when you down yourself like that. We've been through this already. It doesn't matter to me, _I_ feel that way about you. And I mean what I said, about that last part. Even if... _that were the case,_ I'd at least want to hear _why_. Your not that kind of a person, one who would enjoy it. I can tell."

Everything he said rattled her. It pulled at her guilt, for why she was here. It pulled at her to trust him more, because he could understand. And it pulled at the fact that she knew she was a terrible person compared to him. He shouldn't trust her _this_ much, but he does. It hurts, because she is hoping that he won't be an enemy in the end.

Like how she is to everyone now, even though she doesn't want to be.


	15. 15:Training-Predators

**Alright, glad to see more of you dropping reviews and following the story. Now I am getting ready to write the Trost Arc, while these next 5 to 6 will be the end of the training Arc. They will be the survival missions, and will be about 2 chapters each. I'm quite excited to write the Trost and Stohess arcs, but I still have quite a bit to write before I'm there. Episode 7 was great. Loved the Annie Eren moment in the flashback, fight was epic, but the cliffhangers always get me. And that's coming from a Manga reader. As usual leave a review or message me on here. Let us begin.**

Training-Predators

"Damn this winds picking up and it's _snowin_ _g_. How much farther before we can set up? I'm losing blood in my fingers." Annie groans as the pair scales the hills before them.

As promised the first survival test was dead set in the winter, and while James and Annie were glad to have been paired together, they still weren't able to ' _heat up'_ just yet. They still had to find a good place to set up camp, and James didn't like this area one bit.

"A little more, but it'll be worth it in the end. I can take your pack...or _carry you, if you want."_ He told her, trying to hold back a smirk, knowing she's miserable in this cold. It usually didn't bother her, since she always wears a hoodie, but with the wind blowing, and the snow blowing on them, he can't blame her for wanting to rest. ' _Just a little further, and we'll be good'._

"No, I don't want to do that to you. I can manage, just _please_ tell me that we're close. It's getting dark, and I'd rather spend my time _warming up_." She tells him, a hint of flirt in there.

'This girl says _suggestive_ _things_ even when she's freezing to death. Sina, I'm lucky.' Shaking his head, he tells her what she wants to know.

"Don't worry, we're close. I just..got a weird feeling about this area." They keep going towards the rock face before them. Something was bothering him, ever since they entered this section of woods. James had the feeling they weren't _alone_.

Now James was used to being near all kinds of animals, but he wasn't sure Annie was. He hopes it's just deer keeping a distance, but he's ready in case it isn't. In case whatever it was ate _meat_ , he's ready to fight. And while he's confident in his skills, he doesn't want to put Annie in harm's way.

She's tough as steel, but as far as he knew, she never lived like he did. She didn't know the feeling that came with living with animals. Eventually you start _thinking_ like them. The primal instincts take control, riding out your emotions. Rage, hunger, the need to kill, to feed.

He shakes his head as he arrives at the spot he thought would be best. Alongside a small drop, maybe 10 feet, with plenty of trees to sleep in. He learned very quickly that the forest is a dangerous place to sleep, even in the day. He learned to sleep in trees, and it became second nature to him. He hoped she would join him up in one, but understood if she wasn't willing to. As uncomfortable as it was, he'd sleep on the ground. Then again, it was _with her_ , so it might not be _so_ bad.

"Alright, we're here. This spot will keep us safe from most of the winds, and it's easy to defend in case we get _uninvited_ guests." He tells her, to her relief. But the last part makes her eyes grow wary, questions forming. She keeps them to herself though, and they begin to empty their packs. Rations, poles, a few silverware, a tent, and even a decent sized hunting knife.

He gave the knife to her, much to her confusion, but he tells her " You'll need it more than me out here. I've got my hands, so you take it."

"Sending a _frail_ maiden like myself out alone to fight for food? I'm shocked" she says mockingly, pretending to swoon, hand holding the knife near her chest as if distressed.

James let's out a good laugh at that, before telling her " _Frail_ my ass. I'm _still_ getting us food, don't you worry. I just don't want you unprepared. Far as I know, you haven't done this kinda thing before."

" _Please, I've_ done this sort of training before James. I can handle myself out here, trust me a litt-" before she was knocked down by a grey blur.

"ANNIE!" James rushed forward to kick it off her, and saw she was _bleeding_ from her head. Not a bite, just from hitting the rock, but she was unconscious. He stood glaring, to face whatever was about to be _dinner_ _when he was done with it._ He saw that it was a wolf, no _three wolves._ One pure white one, a grey one with streaks of black in it's fur, that attacked Annie, and finally the alpha, a black one quite bigger than the others. They were inching their way forward, snarling at him hungrily.

James bared his teeth and returned their snarls, crouching in front of Annie's prone body. While he was confident in his ability to kill them, he had to be careful with how he did it. If he gets overwhelmed, she'll get mauled by them. He waits for the beasts to make the first move, and saw the grey one edge slightly to the left from it's comrades. He watches it walk, while keeping track the other two slowly coming forward. It seemed it was trying to distract him, as James saw the alpha prepare to leap at him.

Then all at once, the area erupted in primal snarls, yelps and sounds of flesh ripping. They had all jumped at James, the move at Annie _was_ a ploy. He lashed out with his leg, and was rewarded by a yelp of pain, before falling on his back.The black one tried snapping at his face, but his hands held it back. The grey was attacking his legs, and the white had lost alot of teeth from the kick James gave it. It was still in pain, but shook it's head and turned to look at Annie. It started for her, but James rolled and threw himself with the other wolves as best he could.

All of them crashed into the rock, and James took the moment of confusion to bash the white wolf's head in on the rock. Blood and brains splattered his face, and it fell limp. The grey one tried to bite him again but he shoved his arm elbow deep into it's throat and yanked to the side, snapping it's neck. He pulls his arm out to see it steaming, the blood from his kill staining his limb.

His skin was healing, but still hurt a bit. He turned and saw the black one trying to chew through Annie's jacket to get at her. It had her left arm in it's mouth, and James started to see blood emerge. In a blur of white hot rage, he sprinted at it, his vision going red. He tackled it, wrapped his arms around its neck and held it as he _bit_ down at it's nape. He kept biting, and felt the struggling grow more and more frantic as he tasted blood. He had to protect her, he had to _kill to survive, to eat._

His mind went numb, losing control. His instincts took control, just like after Wall Maria fell. His thoughts got simpler, and repeated over and over.

 _Eat, kill, protect._

KILL EAT PROTECT!!!

Annie didn't know where she was. All she knew was that she had a massive headache, and felt something warm on the side of her face. She tried to remember what happened, but all she saw was a grey blur knocking into her before it all went dark. Her thoughts tried to surface when something else got her attention, James.

' _James_ , _where is he!?'_ She tries to move, and suddenly hears a disturbing sound in her right ear. The sound of flesh tearing, _eating_ noises. She turns, ready to transform and massacre whatever had hurt or killed James, when she sees two shapes. One is human and on its knees, the other appears to be a wolf, but it's lying in the person's lap.

The disturbing part is that the _eating_ noises are coming from _there, from him_. Her mind reels as she takes in what she's seeing before her with wide eyes.

James is sitting there, _eating the wolf alive_. It's whimpers are quiet, but it's evident it's still alive. James is ripping it's neck out, from the nape to near it's throat. He's growling, his arms holding his victim tight, before he pulls hard on one side. A loud _CrccCrack_! is heard, and the body goes limp. He rises, and the body falls to his feet. With a yell of anger, he stomps hard on it's head, and it caves. He then breathes hard, real deep, and turns to see her watching in shock, in _fear_. His rage dies instantly.

"Annie!" he rushes over and pulls her into a hug. He checks her arm, where he had seen blood spill, but there's no wound. No skin was broken, he's relieved. ' _Might've_ _been its blood from me hitting it before. At least she's alright.'_

He grabs her shoulders "Listen can you hear me? Is your head ok, can you remember anything? Annie please, I _need to know!"_

She tris to speak but her head hurts. She gives a faint "I'm alright, just my head.." before she hisses in pain. Seeing the bruise, he rips part of his jacket and packs it with ice off the ground that's _not_ _stained red_. He puts it to her head, and the cool feeling puts the throbbing at ease.

"Here, this'll make it numb so it can heal. Are you alright? Your not feeling sleepy are you?" He asks, afraid of a concussion way out here, they're practically in the middle of nowhere.

"James I'm fine..just..a little shook up." at this she avoids his eyes. He realizes he's still covered in blood, from neck to chest. She saw him losing control on that stupid wolf. ' _It had dared to bite her, to hurt her. It deserved it!'_ But now, she's afraid of _him_ , He knows it. He _was nothing but a monster, a killer._ Seeing her like this proved it. Sighing, he collapsed on his knee to pick her up. She gave no resistance, and her carried her away from the bodies.

"Well, we're where I was looking for. I'll set up camp for you. Call out if you need anything, I'll be within earshot." he tells her. She hears how hollow his voice is, as if he's guilty for what he's done. She's confused, ' _he saved me!_ _W_ _hy is he-'_ It hits her, and before she can tell him he's _not_ , he's already at work.

She wants to say what he needs to hear, what he _should_ know. But the words are stuck in her mouth. He thinks he's a _monster_ , and she relates. The sad part is that she _can't tell him_ _that_. She can't truly comfort him, because of _who she_ is. She has to lie to him, the one person who understands her, who she cares about.

'And _I can't fucking tell him, or help him!! Why why WHY?!?'_ She beginscto cry angry tears. James notices and stops to comfort her, "I'm sorry, Annie. I was just-" but she stops him.

" _James_ , _I need to tell you_ _something_."


	16. 16:Training-Sympathy

**Alright, picks up from where chapter 15 left off. I'll be trying to post this on the same day, so bear with me. Glad to see more people interested in the story. I really want to know what you guys think so far. As usual, drop a review and let me know your thoughts. Let us return**

Training- Sympathy

" _There's something I need to tell you."_

"Alright, listen. I... _understand_ if you think I'm a monster for what I just did, I get it. I don't blame you if you don't want to be with one anymore. If you want to...I'll leave you alone after this exercise is over. I don't want you to feel forced out of fear to stay-" but she grabs his face and smacks it. He's astonished.

 _"Don't, Don't you **dare** think I'll leave you after what you just did for me. You saved me, I'd probably be getting eaten if it wasn't for you. Don't you dare apologize for being what you are, or think you are. You're not a monster James. And even if you think you are, I don't care. To me, your still a good person James. Do you understand?" _ She almost yells at him.

He sits there surprised, but then a thought comes to mind. He starts to chuckle a little, much to Annie's confusion. She starts to worry that he might be snapping, and she hears him say "I just realized I did what you do sometimes, but this time _you_ had to tell _me_ _I'm_ the good person here. It's funny, I never thought I'd get told that when I act like a monster. It's just..a little ironic to me."

She realizes he's right, and she chuckles as well before pulling him in. "So you still want to stay with me, even after what you just saw?" he asks, wary of her answer.

"No, of course not. I told you, I understand what it's like to feel...bad. We all do some things that seem monstrous, but this was _not_ one of them. You risked your life to kill them and protect me when _I_ was weak. I owe my life to you right now."

He nods, finally accepting what she's saying. Before he can continue, she attempts a joke. "So I guess you kept your word, you found us dinner."

He chuckles and replies "More like dinner came to us. Tell me, do you like your wolf _well done or rare?"_

"Well done, but juicy. I prefer not having blood." she requests.

He drags the first corpse over, the black one he fed on. Taking the knife from her, he starts skinning it, heck to tail. She watches in fascination, impressed by his skill. _'He's obviously used to it with how sure he is in where to cut. He must've done this to stay warm all those years in the woods. But there's no river near here, as far as I can see. How's he gonna clean them_?' As if he heard her, he starts to clan the skins.

She sees him grab a handful of snow off the ground, and press it to the fur with the knife. He pushes the flat part across the pelt, effectively scrubbing it clean without damaging any of the hair itself. She then watches as he repeats it on the other two, but since they weren't so bloody, he didn't need as much snow. He put all three skins on a low hanging branch to dry, and resumed constructing their tent.

The rest of the night went smoothly, both talking about how good the meat was. James had a knack for knowing when to pull it from the flame but still know it was cooked. Though he insisted it was always how he made it, Annie seemed to really like his cooking. Finally the time to sleep came, but James was insistent on keeping watch. He was still wary of this area, but he couldn't leave her on the ground.

It just wasn't an option to him, so in the end, she ends up sleeping on him as he kept watch. He didn't mind at all, and after a while he too began to feel drowsy. He picked her up and carried her into the tent, zipping it up as he entered after putting out their fire. Keeping the knife close by, he lets himself fall asleep next to the girl he loves.

Morning comes, and James wakes to feel Annie's head on his chest. She was right next to him, holding on for warmth, or just because he made her feel secure. Either way, he enjoyed it, and wrapped his arm around her. ' _Maybe_ _sleeping on the gound wasn't so bad after all_.'

"Sleep well?" she mumbles, barely awake.

He thought to himself for a moment, before he told her "Of course, I'm next to _You."_ Smilingthey lay there enjoying being alone with each other. She pulls him into a kiss, and he wraps his arms around her tightly. Time to _warm up_ again.

This was one helluva survival test.

A week had passed before they knew it, and during that time the two lovebirds got _closer_ than they ever had before. It was quite a shame that they had to return to the real world, to their everyday training in the 104th. For 7 days they had their own little world, no worries, just them. But they were glad to have spent that time alone with each other, although they were subject to quite a bit of teasing by the jackass duo themselves.

"Well look who's back, took you guys long enough. Had to get one last _session in_?" Reiner called out as soon as they were within speaking distance. Ymir, Jean, and even Eren snickered. Wasting no time, and having to fuel to do so, James called out jabs at how _their_ week went.

"Hey Reiner, at least I was had a _session. Unless_ you and _Jean_ have a little thing going on behind closed doors."

That shut up two of them, but made Ymir laugh even harder at the heat on Reiners face. Wanting to strike while the iron was hot, he turned on her now, remembering who she got paired with. "What about you Ymir? I know how much of a loudmouth you are, but I didnt think you'd have a good time with Eren. Might have to mention it to big-sister war-goddess, I'm _suuure she'd like to know if her_ little brother was _nice and warm_ with dear Ymir."

Eren paled at the thought, and Ymir glared at James with enough force to slay him right there. Satisfied by their reactions, he turned to the others who had returned, but he didn't need to bicker with them. Genuinely curious, he started with Connie and Krista. "How'd it go for you two, any problems out there? "

"Nah we made it to our site before nightfall, but we did have to rely on rations. I couldnt find us anything to eat out there, and Krista got a bit sick halfway through, so I had to take care of her for a while" Connie told him.

Krista patted him on the shoulder, "You did great, Connie. And besides we made it four days before I even got the cold. We made it together, but thank you again." Encouraged by the blondes kindness, he smiled and shrugged goodnaturedly. Noticing her hand was _still_ on his shoulder, he got uncomfortable at the act of thanks, and much to his grief, Ymir and Reiner saw and began to make their way over.

"What about you Armin, Sasha keep ya well fed out there?" he asked, smirking.

" _Ha ha, I_ had to keep her under control half the time. It's a good thing she's a hunter, otherwise we would've starved after 2 days." the blonde told him.

"Oh _please_ , we would've been fine! I was just a little hungry!" Sasha whined at him.

James shook his head, knowing full well what "a little hungry" mentioned by Sasha's standards. Usually an entire weeks worth of meat if it could be found. But James too had a big appetite at times, so he left it at that. She asked how their trip went, no innuendos made, just genuine interest.

"Well to tell the truth, we didn't have that great of a start." James told her. Reienr made his way over, asking " _Oh_ , lovers spat before you guys even made camp? Harsh."

Rolling his eyes, he told him what he meant. "No, before _I_ made camp, we ran into wolves." The others went silent, their shock showing. Now that they were all caught in his story, he continued. "One of them knocked Annie out for a few minutes, and I had to fight the others off her."

"What happened to them?! What did you do?" Connie asked, eyes wide.

"Well, I wasn't just gonna stand there. I killed them, and we had wolf to eat most of the time. Actually, your looking at _them_ right now. If you like my work Connie, I could always make you one."

Connie was confused, until he saw they were both wearing furs over their jackets instead of the coats they were provided with at the start of the test. He hadnt noticed at first, but now saw 3 different colors, pure white, grey with streaks of black, and a black one that was larger than the others, draped over Annie like she was a queen.

The others took notice, and looked at James with something in their eyes. Approval, admiration, shock, awe, it all was there just scattered. They asked him how he made them, and for the next half hour he told those who wanted to know.

Still wearing his furs, he and Annie made their way to the mess hall. Dinner would be starting in a few minutes, but before they got to the door, Shadis showed up scaring the duo momentarily. He was looking at the furs they wore, and looked directly at James.

"Mind telling me where you found those cadet? They look quite _out of place_ here." Giving them a glare that Annie herself was shook by, though she didn't show it.

"Sir, during the survival test, we encountered wolves. They tried to take our skins from us, so I took theirs. Seemed like a fair trade to me Sir." Annie was shocked at his answer, the way he said it.

Shadis stared at James for a full 30 seconds, before he chuckled and gave a nod of approval. "Nicely done Cadet Draekon. Good to see your field skills in the wilderness are as good as your training is here. Dismissed"

Not believing their luck, both of them entered the mess hall. James couldn't believe it, he half expected to be skinned alive for that joke, but he instead was given approval by the commander. Annie seemed fine, and all around them, experiences were swapped between the cadets of their test. Some were laughing, others teasing, James joining in on Reiner about having Jean, and soon everyone was happy to be reunited after a week apart. In a way, for people like James, Eren, or even Armin, they all had a family now.

James had just finished hearing Mikasa's story of being paired with Bertoldht, when Shadis entered the hall. Silence fell, and the atmosphere died as the man looked over his recruits.

"Well, now that your all _reaquainted_ , your next test will be in three months time. The goal is simple, retrieve a flag at the designated location before your fellow trainees do. Whoever reaches it and brings it back recieves no exercises for 3 weeks. Last team to return gets latrine duty for a months. That is all." With that, he left them anxious.

One word passed through nearly every head there: _Shit._


	17. 17:Training-Hunted

**Alright, next training mission. This one will take some inspiration from one of the OVAs, not sure which, but i did enjoy it quite a bit. Bit of a darker chapter here, same with the next as this will hopefully only be a two parter. I want to keep to my word with how I schedule these chapters out in terms in story timeline. EverydayWeeaboo, glad to see you reviewed. I'm also planning on writing some Monster Musume fucs if any are interested. Latest episode was pretty good, even if it was more mellow than the last 3 of season two. I am sad to know it won't have too many more before we go one _another_ hiatus, hopefully not 4 years again. But I am excited for the next one, even if I read the manga well beforehand. As usual drop a review and tell me your thoughts. Let us begin.**

Training- Hunted

"Look I'm telling you, it's over that rise there. Shouldn't take more than a day's walk." Jean told the rest of them.

"Yeah, that's what you said yesterday. Give the map to Armin or me, people who can actually navigate. We're just going in circles at this point." James groaned in annoyance at his fellow cadet.

The trainees had been making their way to their goal, the flag centered in the middle of the valley they were in. Their group consisted of James, Krista, Jean, Armin, Sasha and Connie. Their only real threat was the opposite team, made up of Reiner, Bertoldht, Mikasa, Annie, Ymir and Eren. And while they were confident they could get their first having two seasoned hunters on their team, Jean had _insisted_ on leading them.

So far it wasn't going so well, they hadn't made progress due to a few natural formations that blocked a straight path to the center. Since they had to go around them, they currently were in a forest near one of the sides of the valley. Nighttime was here, and James decided to call it a night to the rest, saying they would start again early in the morning. Sasha was craving dinner, and the rest were starting to feel the same. James offered to go hunting, and Sasha went to volunteer to help, but James stopped her.

"Stay here Sash, keep the rest of them hunkered down and see about starting a fire. Remember to go _easy_ on them if they screw up, they ain't used to living like us."

"Ah you know I'm not that _bad_ James, put a little trust in my why don't ya." She said to him, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah yeah, I still remember the last time I dropped that deer meat in the fire. You looked like you were gonna eat _me_ instead" He snickered at her.

"It was a _whole_ deer, and you burned _all_ the meat! How was I supposed to feel?" She protested. He shook his head at her.

"Well, hopefully I'll find us something with alot of meat. Anyone want to come with?" He asked one last time before he got ready to leave. To his surprise, the last person he thought would go came forward.

"I'll go, I know I'm not that good with this stuff, but maybe I can help you gather some other food out there as well. I'd like to try, instead of just sitting here unable to do anything." Krista told a stunned James. He never expected to see this, but wasn't gonna put her off. He was actually glad anyone had stepped forward _at all._

Since he came back from the first test with furs and a story of the wolves he killed, the others were a little wary of him in the woods. Everyone still respected him and didn't treat him any different, but they were scared to see what he was like out there. The stories he told of his time alone didn't help to ease their thoughts of him being a lethal hunter either.

So when sweet innocent Krista decided to come, it boosted his morale. Smiling, they set out, James giving her tips on which berries and other plants would be safe to eat. Which things to look for when checking for tracks, that sorta thing.

She ended up surprising him even more by telling him she was familiar with some of it, that she grew up on a farm like property. James still hadn't spotted anything to bring back so far, but he kept his spirits up. At the worst they'd have to rely on their rations, though they all would prefer _dirt_ to _that_. They came up to a small bend when James heard something move, and held Krista from walking forward.

To his delight, he had spotted a rabbit moving picking at the undergrowth. ' _Not a deer, but hey it's better than nothing'_ But confusion swept over him when it was suddenly pulled up by a snare. _'Th_ _e other groups trap maybe? Are they close?'_ He told Krista to hold back as he went to inspect the trap.

Suddenly he heard a rush of movement all around him, and out of nowhere 4 men came out of the underbrush. They grabbed Krista before she could run, and held James back from fighting them by binding his hands behind his back. They were much older, maybe 30s. They certainly knew what they were doing, and bound both Krista and James back to back. He observed what weapons they had, a few knives, and one rifle that looked old. James had a bad feeling, aside from the obvious, that this was all too familiar.

His thoughts were stopped when he heard one of the men's voices call out to one of the others. "Hey, Schultz. Isn't that the kid we tried to snag _years_ ago? The little bastard that _broke our legs?!"_

"Maybe.. yeah _he is! That's the little fucker that did it!"_ The man named Schultz replied, and James received another blow to the head.

Though he was more tolerant to pain being a shifter, he didn't want to be noticed not caring. He'd have to play along till he could think of a way to get them out of this.

James blood ran cold, as it all came back to him. Two of these men where the same men who tried to kidnap him after home fell, when he was a messenger to the towns. He thought they would've been in prison, or anywhere but here. _'Oh shit.'_

"We spent months crippled because of you, you little bastard! Now your gonna get what you owe!" Schultz yelled in his face, before he gave him a series of punches that drew a good amount of blood. James decides he would need to be away from Krista to make his move, he couldn't risk her seeing him heal. He spat blood directly in the man's face, and received another kick. That's when it got worse, _much worse._

"Stop it, stop it! Stop hurting him, I'll do anything, just leave him alone!" Krista screams. _'No dont..Let **me** handle them Dammit! just be quiet Krista!' _ His fears skyrockted when he heard their "leader" consider her words.

" _Anything_ to save your little friend huh? Well Schultz, Hans, go make sure our _guest_ is taken care of. Ivan, collect the other traps, we're done here. I'll keep a good grip on our little _prize_."

James felt white hot anger fill his head as he was dragged by the two he had a history with, Schultz and Hans. They took him about 20 meters away from the leader and Krista when they tossed him to his knees. He glared at them, and took another kick to the face. His other wounds were healing, now that he was alone with these two.

He readied himself for what he was about to do next, his instincts taking control. 'I _have no choice. They're not worthy of mercy, they're nothing but animals, no! Even worse than that! Vermin! They must DIE!!'_

"That's a nice scar on the back of your neck there, I might have to give it a friend so it don't get lonely." Hans sneered at James. He came closer, unaware he was about to die. ' _Now_ _or never'_

Twisting his arms with as much force as possible, James snapped his right wrist to expose a jagged shard of bone. " _Ahhh_!" he yells in pain.

The act shocked the two kidnappers, and were frozen as James rushed and shoved the bone into Hans stomach, gutting him. Schultz went to rush him with his knife, but James used Hans body as a shield before throwing it to knock his captor off balance.

He rushed forward to sink the bone into Schultz's chest, hitting a lung. James watched as the man choked to death on his own blood, giving him one last look of satisfaction. " _You should've learned when I broke your legs years ago, now you pay with your life!"_ as the Hans went still.

He slipped his broken wrist from the rope and allowed it to heal so he could get it off his other hand. There were still two more of these _scum_ out here, one with _Krista_. He can't allow her to get hurt because of him.

Making his way back the route his captors dragged him, he found them both staring at Krista with a sick look in their eyes. They didn't notice him, and he was content with it staying that way. The leader made his way closer to Krista, who was now crying in fear. The sound tore at his heart, she was so nice, _too nice, so pure. 'like Eve'_.

 _' **Not again!'**_ His rage came back, but he had to keep himself controlled, so he doesn't put her any more danger. The other man, Ivan was a ways back, each arm holding a rabbit. He was distracted enough by the sick act taking place, that he didn't notice the hands reaching at his neck.

"Well, I haven't heard any more noises from your friend. Maybe they got tired of him, and gave him a taste of his own medicine. No matter, means I get more time with _you_." The man pulled at the top of her pants. She whimpered, still bound by the rope they tied her up with.

Her cries went unanswered, James was probably dead now, and no one could save her now. No one would ever know what happened to them, she would probably be taken to some black market to be sold. She closed her eyes to try and ease what she knew was about to come, but it did nothing to help her. She prepared herself, when suddenly she felt a splash of warm coat her face.

Opening her eyes, she saw that she was covered in _blood, the blood of her tormentor_. Her mind reels as she sees his throat was ripped out, and sees the reason why. James was biting down on the man's neck from his right side, and in the other hand he held his head still. Blood flowed freely, and Krista saw the look in James eyes. It was pure hatred, he saw this man the same way that Jaeger did Titans. Something to be wiped out, exterminated.

The man tried to struggle, to pull his killer off his neck, but it was a lost fight. Too much blood was gone, as he tore out another chunk with a yell of rage. The man bled out on the ground, leaving Krista frozen. James raised his foot and began to viciously stomp on his head, harder and harder.

 _"Your scum, you son of a bitch! You and everyone else who hurt people for no reason! NO MORE PAIN!"_

Krista felt relief, she was saved. She would live, and James was alive.

But she also felt fear.

Fear of what would happen to James.


	18. 18:Training-Consequences

**Alright nearing the end of the of the training arc now. Hope the last chapter wasn't too dark near the end, but it's nothing compared to what I have planned later on. Trost is gonna be a helluva arc to write, and so is the 57 expedition. I'm also highly anticipating writing the Stohess raid and the Armored Titan/Collasal Titan reveal. _That_ one I've been _itching_ to write, but I have to stay in order. But when I do, it'll be at least 10 chapters, with lots of action, and emotion. As usual drop reviews, please. Let us begin.**

TrainingConsequences.

Krista sat there covered in blood. She still has a hard time accepting what's happening in front of her, but she's getting better. James is stomping on her would be rapists head, over and over. The man's been dead for a minute now, but he still kept bringing his foot down. He's slowing down though, much to Krista's relief. He seems to be calming down, but then she sees something _strange_.

 _He's crying._ Her eyes aren't playing tricks on her, as she sees tears fall, and her ears hear his low sobs. " _Not_ _again... no more pain. No more..I'm **so** sorry.." _ He falls to his knees for a moment, before he remembers he's not alone. Rubbing his face, he turns and makes his way over to her, and begins to loosen her ropes.

"I'm sorry, I lost control. Let's get you out of these, are you ok... _did he...?"_ He asks, his voice fearful, but it had a hint of anger behind it. His eyes though, they're what stop and grab her attention.

His eyes are hollow, as if he's seeing a ghost. She only saw him this way once, the first night they had met after dinner. He had been reunited with Sasha, when she asked about his family. She remembered how his face dropped in an expression so _pained_ that it was a miracle that he was able to live with himself. He told of how they all died, how he _blamed himself_ for their deaths. His cries as he broke down in front of herself, Sasha and Ymir.

Just like that night, she found herself reaching forward, to put her arms around his shoulders. "I'm alright James, _thank you, so much_. They didn't get to do anything, you.. _stopped_ them just in time. I'm okay James, but are you alright? They didn't hurt you too bad, did they?" she told him, to keep him calmed.

"You're just like _her_.." he mumbled.

"Like who?" She asks.

"My _sister_ , both of you always think of others first, _even if you're the ones who are hurt_ _. Kind, innocent..and yet always the first to be hurt in this fucking world. Why.. **why** is it that way?" _ he gulps, before his tears return.

"I think it's something Mikasa once said, something about the world being _cruel..but beautiful. That the_ _good is here_ , but you must endure the bad long enough to find it. I'm sorry for your sister James, I know she must have meant a lot to you. And..I'm honored to be compared to your sister, James. I'm sure she was a lovely person." She tells him.

" _Eve..her name was Eve._ She was always so _happy_ , like there wasn't a bad thing in the world. She always listened to others, she comforted me when I had my bad days..and she was the one I was most glad to see that day, when I went home. I thought she would hate me for leaving her, without warning, but she understood why, she _forgave me_. She even tried to be like me, while I was living away with Sasha. I'm sure you two would've been the best of friends, if she were here." he tells her, his tears stopping slowly.

His breathing evened out, and he seemed more in control of himself. He helped her to her feet first, before getting up himself. Looking at her, he gives her a strong but gentle hug. "Thank you Krista, for listening. I'm sorry I put you in this mess, if I just went out alone none of this would've happened."

"If you went out alone you would've been killed and we would never know. Don't apologize, James, it's not your fault. As scary as it was, I'm glad you did what you did. You are a good person James, and I'm glad to have you as a friend" She smiles a little, as she's still covered in blood, but it's drying onto her skin and cracking.

He goes to look around for a way to find help, when they hear voices shouting out into the woods. "Kristaaa! Jaaaames! Where the hell are you guys?"

"Well looks like we're rescued. I just hope they don't freak out when they see what I-" But Krista stops him.

"James, it was our life or theirs. You made the right call, don't doubt yourself. Just be who you are, it's the only way to live with yourself." Sighing with acceptance, he nods and calls out to the others. "We're over here!"

Their friends came through the bushes, and stopped when they saw the massacre before them. James covered in blood, bodies laying about, and Krista looked as if she'd been nearly _raped. The_ only one who didn't look as shocked was Sasha because she saw Krista first, and _then_ James. Her mind put two and two together, and she knew now what most likely happened. He protected her, just like he did Annie, just like _he did for **her** all those years ago._

"James, _holy fuck_! What happened?!" Jean shouted as he amd Armin rushed over to where they were. Connie was shocked at the gore but arrived after Sasha reached them. He shook his head, and told them "I did what I had to. They were gonna.. do _things_ to her if I didn't kill them."

"Is there anymore? Should we leave now before they come?" Sasha asks but James shook his head.

"No, I took care of the other two already. I made my way back here to stop that _filth_ from _touching_ her. I'm fine but Krista's shaken up, we should head back for camp. We have to warn the others and make sure they're alright as well."

"We'll send out a flare. Since we're all in the valley they should all be able to see it." Jean told him and Armin went to their packs. He reached and pulled out a flare gun, loaded it with the proper signal color, and fired off. Red smoke arced through the air, and any who saw would know it was a signal to retreat.

"Alright let's get you two back to camp. The medics will be able to help, and everyone will be asking questions at this point." Sasha pulled James up, but he was able to stand on his own. His wounds were all healed, and since no one was around to take in just how badly he'd been beat, he was able to slip under the radar.

They were able to take a straighter path this time, because Jean gave the map to Sasha with complaint. They were nearly there, only about a few minutes walk away. As they neared the officers quarters, they were stopped by the man they wanted to see. "Cadets! What in the hell do you think your-" But stops as he takes in the bloodied state of their clothes, and Krista's tears.

She was safe now, but she still has the fear from the experience. She had been silent since they were found by the others but now, she was starting to cry a little. Shadis calmed himself, and started giving orders. Pointing at James and Krista first, he started.

"You two, take yourselves to the infirmary. Kirstein, inform the rest of the officers of this. Braus, Springer, you better tell me what the hell is going on _Now_."

James walked to the infirmary with her, and made sure she was looked after by one of the medics. They took him to his in cot, despite his protests of being fine. He was tired, so he took the opportunity to get some rest. He knows that tomorrow there's gonna be a helluva lot to deal with.

James had been asleep for an hour, when the door opened and people rushed in. He opened his eyes to see his face get crushed in a tight hug, pulling back he sees that it's Annie. Her face is worried, but her eyes betray her. They were staring at him for injuries, tinged red around the edges, maybe from crying. He puts himself back in her arms before wrapping his own around her.

He hears someone clear their throat and remembers that there are others waiting to see him. He looks at those who came to visit him: Reiner, Ymir, Eren, Sasha, Connie, Jean and Krista as well. She seems a lot better, clean and in a fresh pair of clothes. she held a small smile on her face, but James knew she was still recovering mentally from the whole ordeal.

Ymir and Reiner had heard about what nearly happened to the person they desired and demanded to hear the details from James himself.

Annie had heard he'd been brought in bloodied from Sasha and Connie, but didn't wait for the rest. Eren came to check on them when he overheard Shadis discussing Keista's report to the medics. She'd been declared physically unharmed, much to everyone's relief. Then the attention had focused on James, although Annie had him on her mind since his name mentioned.

They met up as they rushed to the section he was in, and were relieved to see he was fine as well. The only thing that stood out was the bloody clothes he still wore, being too tired _mentally_ to ask for fresh ones. They all stood staring, waiting for the story of what happened out there.

With a little difficulty, he told them all of what happened, although he ommitted the part where Krista offered herself to stop his beatings. Her eyes sent him a silent _thank you_ that he saw, and continued on to him getting free. He switched some things around for _certain_ reasons, and told them that he managed to pick a knife off of one of his attackers. He was nearing the part where he came upon the leader coming onto Krista, when he stopped and looked at her for permission.

She was shocked that he wanted her approval before he continued, and she gave it with a silent, slow nod. She turned her eyes away from them all, choosing to stare at the wall opposite his room's window. He told them what he stopped, and received strong looks of gratitude from Reiner and Ymir.

They both kept silent, trying to offer the girl some comfort by holding her. They didn't fight, for once. Sasha was on the verge of tears, knowing _very well how the situation felt._ She gave James a knowing look, and he returned it with a slow nod. Annie was still happy that James was alive, but confused as to the look he shared with Sasha. She would ask him another time, when he was feeling better. Right now, all she wanted was to hold him close.

He was safe, and that's all she cared about. It made her selfish sure, but in a world like theirs, isn't it normal to care most about the person your with than all else? She'd ask him that one day, if his feelings for her put him at risk over her.

Hopefully it wouldn't come. _But it will, it always will._


	19. 19:Training-Arena

**Alright, hope you guys enjoyed the last two chapters, had some editing issues and got delayed. I'm excited for episode 9, and how I will work it in my own story when the time comes. A bit of a time skip here, so forgive me if it seems to be going faster. A Very long chapter here, I'm writing this from a desktop instead of mobile, as I usually do. ill try to do this more often in the future, especially during the Trost arc, Stohess battle, and the Armored Titan battle. As usual drop a review _please_ , especially those who favorite or follow in the next few chapters. I really want to know your thoughts. Let us Begin.**

Training-Arena

"That all ya got Eren? I was expecting more with all that training me and Annie gave you!" James calls out as he dodges another hook. He took a moment to think of how _fun_ today was so far, or fun for _him_ at least.

Yesterday morning, all the recruits were given orders to prepare for an all out arena match to determine the best of the 104th. Grades and performance in the classroom and using ODM was a huge factor, but where there was debate over who were the best of the class, Shadis decided to pit those who stood out among the others in an arena style battle.

Two would be picked at random to fight first. It was an elimination style fight, so whoever won the first fight would continue till they beat all their opponents, or they submit. The new champion would repeat the process till they won, or till they submitted. Whoever lasted the longest would be declared the top cadet of their class, and those who performed well enough would be ranked by their skill in the rest of the top ten.

It had started off quiet at first, the recruits not physically powerful: Armin, Connie, Krista, and a few others were eliminated early on. Then things got quite interesting when Jean had taken down 4 opponents before losing to Eren. Eren himself was on his third, James when he was starting to get overwhelmed. James was an excellent hand to hand fighter, matched only at times by Annie. Eren had learned most of his fighting from them, and while it worked on those who were unfamiliar with it, it was meaningless against one of his teachers.

The blows James was giving him were quite hard, even for him to handle. While the others were enjoying watching the others fight, they had no intention of getting their asses whooped in front of everyone. But James looked as if he was having the time of his life, dodging and weaving around any blows Eren threw, only to be struck by ones that left good sized bruises on contact.

Eren was half surprised his sister hadn't barged in on their fight, but he knew she would get her chance at revenge if James kept it up. Of those who had fought, Reiner, Annie, Mikasa, Eren himself and surprisingly, Ymir, were the only ones still going.

James saw Eren let down his guard to catch his breath and took the chance to swipe his feet out and pin his arms behind him. Try as he might Eren wasn't getting out of this move, and James grinned, as he knew he had won. Eren kept at it, but after another minute, submitted. James let go and helped Eren to his feet. Both were extremely dirty and sweaty from rolling on the ground in their struggle. Giving him a good smack on the back, he congratulated Eren.

"Good job Jaeger, but next time don't let your guard down. I took the chance, so will whoever sees it on a fight. Just keep yourself focused. Again, you did well."

James took off his shirt as Eren exited the ring they had made, and many gasped in shock as they saw the scars and bite marks lining his body. All except Sasha, for living with James for two years as a family, and Annie, who knew from _personal experience what his_ scars looked like. The sight intimidated those who were left standing, and all of them were waiting to hear who would be called on next.

"Leonhardt, you're up!" Shadis called out, and the hardass even had a small smirk on his smug face. Knowing full well how this could turn out, Reiner and Ymir called out to them to keep _it about fighting_. James shook his head, thinking of what he would do when he fights them. Annie showed no more emotion than she usually did when they sparred, and they took up their positions waiting for the other to move, just like their first fight.

James rushed first feinting a left punch but instead sliding to take out her legs. She recovered but not before James got behind her and tried to sweep her legs. The move failed as she jumped to avoid his foot. She threw an elbow to his side which connected, but he already recovered by putting her in a headlock. She struggled to free herself with him pressed against her back, but instead let herself fall. They both toppled over and Annie was free again. She could see the fire in his eyes, he was enjoying this more than usual. He was concentrated more as well, so she might have to fight dirty. She instead tried to take his legs, her mind remembering their first spar. Just like then the blows were getting harder to dodge and felt harder when they hit. But they both knew they weren't hurting each other to the point of damaging the other. They knew each other's limits and respected them. Annie was tiring though, so she attempted to throw and pin him. James seemed just as tired, but when she made the move he went into it and pinned her instead. She fell and struggled, her air cut off a little. She couldn't get out, and finally, she admitted defeat. He helped up and gave her a light peck as she went to walk away.

Another victory, another contender down, and another step towards first. James remembered who he had left: Mikasa, Reiner, and Ymir. Ymir he could take easily, she didn't have much skill, she was just fast and brutal. Reiner has some skill and strength, but James matched him and outclassed him in strategy. Mikasa was the only one who could challenge him, and she would definitely be trying to take out her anger at James beating Eren so harshly. So he had a good idea what he was up against, and he just had to keep focus in each of them.

"Ymir! Next!" Shadis announced. The freckled girl sighed in boredom, but she got into the ring all the same. She simply stood for a moment, before rushing at him with both hands ready. James felt the attack was half-hearted and was almost caught off guard when she suddenly tried to use _his own attack on himself._ He shook his head before he ducked, wrapped both arms around her midsection and he threw her brutally. She retaliated with a kick to his stomach with a snarl, but James got her leg behind her in a twist. She tried to use her other leg, but he put pressure on her back so that she couldn't turn. She couldn't move but threw her head back into his. He felt blood spill but held her down even tighter. She growled in frustration but gave up finally. She got up by herself, muttering "sorry for the nose". He replied back "It's fine, just don't use my moves. Stick to your own thing, it works for you. You might have had a better chance if you did."

Huffing "Whatever" as she left the pit. _Two left_ he thought.

"Reiner Braun, you're up." Great, save the best for last.

Sure Reiner was big, but his strength wasn't that much better than James. They stood pretty close in height, but Reiner had almost a heads worth on James. This wasn't going to be 123 like Ymir, he knew Reiner was waiting for his shot. And now he was going to get it. Both stood in their combat stances, and Reiner being the guy he was called out "Guess after you go down I go against war goddess. Not what I had in mind, only 1 victory before I get eliminated, but at least I get you out. James smirked and replied "Big words for you huh Rein? You're big, but you're not better. I'm taking Mikasa down after I finish wiping the ground with you. Cmon big guy, let's see those moves!" At the same time, they charged each other and locked arms. Both stood their ground and tried to throw the other. James let himself fall back and planted both feet on Reiners' chest. He kicked and Reiner went flying. James was on him and went to get his arms around his back, but Reiner threw his leg at his calf to try and cripple him. The move jolted a memory out of him, of that day.

Shinganshina, Year 845. The day of the fall.

T _he armored titan lay beneath him, as James reached for his armor. His claws tore off the shoulder segments, and the armored titan roared in anger. It kicked his leg and nearly destroyed it. Satisfied his foe was down, he tore his way towards the gate, picking up speed. James could only roar and watch as it got closer, shrugging off cannon fire. It got closer and finally rammed it, debris scattering everywhere._

 _now. 'Like hell, I'm **no** t going down like that again.' James growled mentally._

He came back to see Reiner still under him, looking surprised that James kept his ground planted firmly beneath him. Using his upper body as leverage, he lifted Reiner completely up, stunning all and even the boy in question before throwing him down hard. He crumbled and tried to rise, but his back hurt from being slammed. He saw James having a scary look in his eyes, and decided he would let this one go. He did well enough, and his spine was sore as all hell. James still helped him to his feet, but he seemed quieter when he asked Reiner "no hard feelings?".

Rein shook his head and smiled good-naturedly. "No, course we're good James. But next time easy on the slams, I want to still be able to walk before I graduate next week you know."

Jame stayed silent but gave his comrade a hard nod. Today had been going great, he was having fun doing what he did best, but that memory screwed everything up. He didn't have the same feeling from before, now he was a bit pissed. With his last opponent being Mikasa, he wasn't going to take her misguided sense of revenge with a grain of salt. If she pushes him again like she did years ago, it was gonna get bloody real fast.

"Ackerman, your up. You lose, Draekon gets first. You win, and _you get it instead."_ Shadis called, causing confusion. Everyone was looking at each other now before their eyes settled on the last two competitors. They glared at each other even more now that Shadis had upped the stakes. Now things were about to get real interesting.

The best two arguably of the entire 104th. Both beasts in combat, excelling in nearly everything from ODM to strategy thinking. The "war goddess' and the woods raised guy they had started calling "Beast in human skin" since the cancellation of the last survival test. And now both of them were ready to fight to prove who was better in a bloody fight for 1st. To many, it seemed like a surreal awe-inspiring dream battle come true. Even Shadis looked anxious at how this would play out, especially since he had upped the stakes for which they would fight. Both seemed pissed and determined before the announcement, but now they looked as if they were ready to kill. They stared each other down neither blinking. James finally did but it was a slow deliberate blink as if a hungry predator watching its prey in anticipation. They took their positions in the ring, arms ready and feet poised.

Nothing but silence endured as the cadets watched the contenders wait for the other to move. And finally, the chaos began, with James rushing for a gut shot while Mikasa rolled to the left and elbowed his ribs. James retaliated by aiming a backward kick at her shoulder, but again she blocked it with her arms. She tried to grab the limb and pull him off balance, but James had another idea in mind. Wrapping his legs around Mikasa's body, he attempted to pull her into a submission lock like he had used on Annie and Ymir. The Asian girl wasn't giving in, even to a lack of air. Struggling but set on doing it, Mikasa lifted James the same way he did Reiner to slam him. James saw through the move easily and shifted his weight to his arms and started punching her chest and stomach. She was still trying to lift him, but she began to weaken.

James took his chance and let go of the girl with his legs before he went too far and strangled her, but she already was back on her feet and landed a kick to his chest. Coughing he went and aimed a haymaker at her stomach, winding her completely. She gasped, and he took the chance to drive a knee into her belly, before slowly putting her in a lock. It was damn near a miracle the girl lasted this long against him, and James had to give her credit for it. That credit went and aimed a headbutt at his nose and drew blood. James staggered back and Mikasa was on her knees gasping for air. She got up and ran at him again, but he sent a high kick aimed for her shoulders which would have destroyed her if she hadn't softened the blow with her wrists. She yelled in pain as he grounded himself again, and he punched her straight in the face, earning a bloody lip James took the chance to reset his nose and prepared to end this. They both took their positions after she recovered, but he could see the fatigue setting in. It was time to finish her.

He stayed in one spot and waited for her to move first, which aggravated her. She yelled and went for his face, but he got under her arms and used a move that he and Annie knew by heart since childhood. They had learned from their respective parent's many things, from attacks to defense, to taking down bigger or smaller opponents. James got both of his arms around her shoulder and neck area, and threw her to the ground with enough force to wind her again. He didn't hold back one bit, and she was nearly turning blue when she finally gave in.

Shadis declared James to be first in the class, with Mikasa ranking just behind him in second place. They watched in shock as he offered her his hand, but she declined politely. She still bled from her lip, and he from his nose, but they gave each other a look of acceptance, though it was a bit cold and hard since they had just brutally fought each other. Cheers and shouts from the cadets filled the air. Those who had bet on James were clapping him on the back as he left the ring. Mikasa's supporters were glaring at James for defeating the girl but still acknowledged him with respect. James was feeling a bit better for achieving top cadet, but he still had that memory on his mind.

It bothered him that it had surfaced out of nowhere in the middle of his fight with Reiner. He had no grudge against the guy at all, in fact, he was pretty much a brother to him. So it shook him that he might have gone too far when he remembered Reiner complaining about his back. He'd make it up to the guy somehow, but he was certain he'd be alright later. He was built like an ox, so he wouldn't feel all that sore by dinner. Since shadis had declared the test over and winners picked, the cadets had the rest of the day for themselves. Many took this chance to chat about what had happened, some went to hang out in the barracks. James was a bit bored now, but an idea came to mind, so he went looking for Annie. He found her waiting by her barrack's door, a small smile on her face.

"So you took the mighty 'war goddess down', congratulations. You think you're up for another fight? Or want me to help you _relax_ " with a smirk and her half-lidded eyes waiting for his answer.

James shook his head at her, and replied with a question of his own.

"As exciting as that sounds right now, my bodies a bit sore. How about we go for a swim?"

She tilted her head and considered his offer for a moment, thinking of how they would (hopefully) be alone out on the water. She smiled slightly, and agreed.

"Sure. that sounds fun" and they took off together, anxious to be alone and _relax._

 _Today was a good day again._


	20. 20:Training-Graduation

**Woohoo! 20 chapters now! Glad to see the story has gotten more popular. Episode 9 was great, don't see why people are calling it filler. It was exactly how it was in the manga, and added more to the plot, as it should have. Seriously guys it'll be worth it. As usual drop a review. Fyi this will be the last training arc chapter, then starts Trost. Seeing how I did with content for training, I think Trost may be about 12 or more chapters. Covering from the resurface of the Colassal Titan to the cleanup aftermath. Definite Canon divergence. Warning, there will be lots of death, some pretty descriptive, so forgive me. Let us begin.**

Training- Graduation

"For three years now you trained, bled and worked to reach this point. But here you stand all as certified soldiers to humanity. You have the rest of the night till tomorrow afternoon to make your decision on which regiment you will join. These are the top cadets of the entire 104th. Look upon them with admiration and Respect! Your respective career choices are The Garrison or The Scouting Regiment. Only the top ten meet the requirements to join the Military police, should they choose to. **_Salute Soldiers!!"_**

"SIR!!" every former cadet, now soldier yelled as one. Three long, grueling years of training had finally paid off. Now they would choose what path they took from here on.

Answers varied, even in the top ten. Jean was still set on the MPs, as were Marco and Connie. Eren, Mikasa and Armin chose to become Scouts. But there were those who could be separated by these choices, who were couples.

One couple was James and Annie. They hadn't spoken much about their career decisions since they had first met, but James recalled her saying she wanted to join the MPs. Three years together, only to be separated by distance because of what they wanted to do. They had both agreed that they would stay together, even if they were far away from each other.

Though he qualified to go to the interior, to be closer with her, it wasn't what he wanted to do with his _power_. He _wanted_ to be with her, but he _wanted to fight_. To kill the Titans, and make even more progress with his abilities as a shifter. He couldn't do that in the interior, they'd only see a monster in their city. Out there he was free to be what he was, but she would always be a part of him.

James was actually glad in a way that she chose to be in the interior. It meant she would be safe there, far from the titans. And he would be able to visit her occasionally. He was more at ease knowing that, but still sad that they couldn't be closer in another way.

Annie herself didn't take it too well when they told each other what they were going to join. She had tried to convince him to join her in the interior, but with the fire in his eyes, she knew he was set on being a scout. She was afraid of what he might do as one, if he would use _his powers._ Though she was tempted to confront him in secret before he left, she couldn't. And it was her own fault that she couldn't.

It would raise suspicion at her from him. He would question what she knew, _how_ she knew, and then she would be caught as a liar. He might lose his trust in her, and leave her. And then she would be all alone, like most of her life. The naive thought of revealing herself to him, along with her mission flickered briefly. But she shook her head, if anything he would hate her even more for knowing who his families killers were and not telling him.

Her thoughts got more and more depressed, wondering if it could ever work. She would have to keep lying to him, until they found the Coordinate. When they did, she could kidnap and take him with it to Eldia. He would be angry, but once he understood why it all happened, the death, the loss, maybe he would forgive her. If he knew they being forced because of the Wall King's lack of action, he might even help them fight back against the Beast titan. If he was formidable as a Titan like he was in human form, she knew he could turn the tides quite a bit.

But she knew that even if he didn't, he would be safer there than stuck inside these walls where they would always hate him. Her thoughts were still saddened by this, but kept that though of hope alive that it might turn out alright under the right circumstances. But that would come later, right now she would act like her fellow shifters, and enjoy herself tonight.

Because _tomorrow_ would be nothing short of _Hell_.

 _How she wished she could just be a soldier._

 _She hates keeping things from him._

Dinner came by then, and talk was buzzing about between the members of the graduating class. Most talked about what regiment they would join, many still wishing they were able to join the Mp. But there were a few who denied the chance to be further in the walls. Those who wanted to fight, like Eren and James. And of course this led to another fight.

It started with Eren still wanting to join the Scouts. Even if the death rate was very high, as pointed out by Thomas. James understood the boy wasn't being morbid, just realistic. And at that moment Eren began to tell them what he thought.

"So what? Are we supposed to just accept living like cattle in a damn cage laying down? Or should we fight for the chance to be free!? _I'm_ not just gonna sit and take it without a fight. The world outside these walls is ours! We have to take it back, and I'm gonna lead the way!" With that he left, still fuming over his fellow soldiers decisions.

Jean was first to make a comment, though it was a quiet remark. " _Suicidal bastard, always spouting crap about fighting what can't change."_ But James caught it, and turned to him.

"Your wrong Jean, about change." James said to him.

"Oh, and why's that? Do enlighten me about the ever flowing wisdom you have" He snapped back.

Eyes flashing, James got up and stood directly in Jeans face. His eyes were hard, and cold as he told him what he thought. Every eye was on him, expecting a fight to start.

" _Keep talking that way, and I'll make myself a horse skin coat. Use your head dumbas_ s, _everything_ _changes_. Look around you, every one of us, _even you_ changed from 3 years ago when we signed up." He growled. The room was silent, everyone was listening intently.

"Think back 5 years ago, people thought they were safe behind the walls. And then Bang!! Change happens when Maria falls. Territory gets smaller, Titans stream inside the interior, and we lose a chunk of humanity. That's proof of _change_. Think back 100 years ago, when the Titans first showed up, we built the walls. We _changed_ to stop our Extinction."

" _Life is always about change_ Jean, and only those who can make it happen see it before them. Eren sees it, Armin sees it, _I see it._ Hell I was one of the people who never thought they would see a _Titan fighting another Titan_ but that happened all those years ago back in my home. Another change, a surprisingly helpful one. Do you remember that Jean? Because _that's proof right there of change."_

Jean remembered hearing stories from Shinganshina refugees. They told of how a strange looking Titan _fought_ the Armored that broke the gate. Many didn't believe it at first, and were even more doubtful when James had told them of how it _escorted_ _Eren and Mikasa with their mother to safety. And how it had mourned over a human girl_. He shook his head and listened to the rest of James little speech.

"Us being soldiers proves it. 3 years ago you wouldn't even know how to use Odm or kill a Titan if you met one, but now you _do._ _Change will always happen, one way or another._ You need to wake up and realize that, all of you do. Im not telling you to do anything but think. Skills and knowledge are useless if no one does anything with it. So _thats_ what Eren's trying to tell you. _Since you can, Are you going to make a change?"_

Not waiting for an answer from the silent crowd, James left the dining room. Annie locked eyes with Reiner and Bert for a moment, before she followed James out the door. She found him a few minutes after, staring out at the city. She joined him in silence, but broke it after a few minutes.

"Quite a speech, I didn't take you for the motivational type when it comes to Jean. Usually you just tell him to shut up or hit him." Annie commented.

"Hmm true. But I waa just annoyed we only have tonight to decide. You think after 3 years they could give us a few days to relax. His bitching only ticked me off even more. _I'm_ surprised I didn't hit him." He replied.

"I know it's hard, but as soldiers this is what they expect." She tells him bitterly.

"I'm not" he mumbles.

"What?"

"I'm not a soldier, I'm a warrior. Always have been.. _and always will be_. I fight for people, not ones cause. That's the difference. I'll do what I can to help people in need, but I _won't_ follow orders that only benefit those in the interior. Politicians, The _King_..all those selfish bastards who care nothing for the rest of us." He growls out, not looking at her.

She understands what he's saying, but there is still a bit of hidden meaning there

"So what would you do if you were ordered to die to save a life? Would you?" She asks.

He thinks for a moment, and tells her with a small smirk. "I'd save the life...but I wouldn't be giving mine to do it."

"What if you got in trouble for disobeying those orders? For living?" She presses on.

He actually laughs, a low but dark laugh. "If I get in trouble for doing what I know is right, then maybe I shouldn't be following orders from those people. Maybe I should stay alone."

"What do you mean?" She asks him.

"I've always been on my own, Annie. Until I went and enlisted I was by myself. Not out of choice, but because I _couldn't_ be near others, because of _what I am_. So I tried to be a part of something for a change, and I met _Y_ _ou_. I was actually happy for the first time in years. Kinda understandable when the world seems to hate you for just being who you are, wouldn't you say?" He says to her, his eyes staring out at the city.

"Yeah, I guess I do understand that. But James, what do you mean about being in trouble for living?"

"I've done some bad things Annie, things I could've done differently if I thought them through. I live with the guilt of screwing things up for others, sometimes costing lives. But I keep going, to stop that pain. Because _someone_ gave me a reason to." He says as he looks at her.

She blushes a little, but understands now.

There's no changing him _right now_ , but there is a chance.


	21. 21:Trost- Parallels

**Alright guys and gals, the Trost Arc begins now. GuineapigsOP, glad to see ya again, you're getting your wish. There be divergence, but not to the point of completely changing the story. Will be quite a long Arc, and afterward, we will begin the Female Titan arc.** **As usual** **, drop a review and tell me your thoughts. Let Us Begin.**

Trost- Parallels

Cannon duty was boring as all hell, there was no other way of putting it. James and quite a few of the other recently graduated soldiers were given orders to clean and maintain the cannons set atop the wall facing away from Wall Rose. You think they would've received some free time for their recent accomplishment, but even newbies weren't spared a break.

James was working alongside Connie and Eren, talking about how things were back home with their families. He couldn't really put in his thoughts, because Sasha, who was a few feet away, _was his only family_. But the rest of them were pretty much his family now, in his eyes. He hoped at least some viewed him the same way, he knew Connie, Eren and Reiner all did. Then again Reiner was a big brother to them all, but that didn't damper James thoughts.

"Yeah she's proud that I had what it took, but she still worries about what I want to do now. Her and Mikasa worry too much you know? I keep trying to tell them both that it'll be alright, that things have changed from back then." He heard Eren tell Connie.

James was glad to hear about Eren's mother giving her son praise on becoming a certified soldier, though she still worried about his fate as a scout. He understood, but couldn't relate personally. His parents though loving, raised him to be a warrior without his knowledge. Had he known, he probably never would've become one. It was the only path for someone like him, and he only realized it when he tried to return home.

But he was glad in a bittersweet way that they did, because it gave him a sense of pride. It had made him strong, strong enough to keep on living. Though he couldn't really share it aloud, he knew they would be proud of him now, after all these years. His friends were proud of him, from Annie and Sash to Krista and even Ymir to an extent. Though the later was more of a less sarcastic acknowledgment than general praise.

"Well _be glad_ to hear it dude, she's got her heart in the right place as a mom. It's only natural for her to worry, Eren. Mikasa too, since she's your sister. Don't think of it as annoying, _trust me_. It's the kind of thing _you want to hear when something like this happens."_ The end comes off as a bit bitter, but there's no anger at Eren.

 _He_ _just wishes he could hear it from his own parents._

"Hey James, I'm sorry if I-" Eren tries to tell him, but gets cut off.

"No, it's, _it's fine_. I'm just not feeling good today, don't mind me." James says brushing off Erens guilt. Eren watches him for a moment, before quietly asking him

"Is it because _today's_ the _Anniversary"_ James stays silent, his mind somewhere else as he just stares out at Trost with empty eyes. _'5 Years, has it really passed that fast?'_ A memory rises from the depths of his mind, _an_ _unpleasant_ _one_.

 _5 years ago,_ _Shinganshina_

 _Wails_ _were heard throughout the city, dusk had fallen by then. The city was silent aside from the pained sounds coming from the Titan holding 3 humans in its hands, laying them side by side. Two adults and a child, a small girl. All of them had been crushed by rubble, though at different times and places, but the result was the same._ The _ground_ _was pulled away as claws tore at three spots, large enough for the bodies._

 _With the utmost care, it laid each body into their holes and pulled the dirt over them. It sat there on its knees, just staring at the graves of its family, staring at nothing. The Titan and the shifter inside felt only two things an overwhelming sense of loss...and an unbearably hot rage. A desire wormed its way into the front of his mind, the desire to **kill**._

 _He noticed he could hear a few titans approaching, their footsteps telling him they only stood maybe 8 meters at most. He rose to look at them and his vision went red. His slit pupil eyes narrowed in absolute hate, and he screamed in rage as he charged without pause. He tore at their bodies with his claws, caring not for hand to hand combat. He only wanted to tear them apart with sheer ferocity, ripping out napes with his teeth, or crushing them with his feet._

 _One larger 14 meter lumbered its way towards where the graves were and he ran towards it on all fours. His claws tore earth out as he leaped and landed on the Titan, his claws pierced its body and he remembered tearing chunks of its body with his mouth, like some savage animal._

 _He wanted to taste its flesh, for it to feel his pain. He stabbed at its chest and pulled out, ripping it nearly in half. He tore out its nape and swallowed it, still hovering over its body like a wolf. He reared his head back and roared at the sky, a terrible vengeful cry of distraught loss. He rose and walked back to the gate, where on the other side more of the monsters and maybe even the one responsible for his sister's death lie in wait. His walk turned into a jog, and then into an all out sprint at the possibility of avenging them all. His mind went blank as he crossed the entrance, and one thought stayed in his mind: **Kill**._

 _End._

 _Trost Year 850_

He's brought back to Eren's words when he notices the boy is still standing by him. he shakes his head and tells him "It's alright Eren, I'm just remembering it all. It's hard to believe its already been 5 years, alot's happened since then."

"True but even then we all saw something we thought we would never even think of," Eren says with a lighter tone.

"And that is?" James asks.

"Well, I mean we saw a _Titan fighting its own kind. Hell, that's why I'm here right now, why my mom's alive._ It helped me and saved my mom when she was trapped. I saw that things can change when you least expect them, either bad to good. If it weren't for that strange Titan, I would've been carried away with Mikasa by Mr. Hannes. But it came and helped get us to the gate. I can never thank it, because we never saw it after we got on the boats. But if I ever saw it again, I just hope it would fight for us again." Eren explains with a bit of excitement.

James wants to laugh, bitterly because he can't tell him that _he was the titan,_ but he also wants to reassure him that he might see him when they all become scouts. The expeditions they go out on would give him ample chance to shift and fight without being caught. But it would take careful planning, which James was good at since he's kept his secret from them all this long.

James was brought out of his musings by seeing Sasha approach the group, hiding something in her jacket. He already has a bad feeling, and its confirmed when she brings out a slab of meat that only the higher-ranking officers got to see. James and the rest of the group widen their eyes at the girl, not believing what they're seeing. Immediately panic sets in, though they all try to keep from making a scene.

"Sasha, what the _fuck_? _Are you crazy?_ You trying to get arrested when you just graduated?!" James exclaims as quietly as he could without drawing attention. He knew she was crazed for food, but this was too far, not to mention too damn risky.

But the girl has a glazed look in her eyes as she tells them "What guys, it's just a little bit of meat. Once we get more land we can raise more cattle. No one will even notice that it's gone. Cmon, who wants some, I'm willing to share if you keep it a secret."

James sighs in resignation, knowing full well they all would want a piece. James himself could smell the meat, probably beef, and knew he wanted a taste of the good stuff. But maybe it'll turn out alright, maybe they won't all get caught. The wind is slowing down, and it's quite a serene sight looking out at the city from this high up. It could be better today, because he had Annie, his friends, and the knowledge that he is now a certified soldier to the people in the walls. But he's still a warrior in his heart, and he knows his parents would say the same if they could see him now. ' _Yeah, today isn't all bad. Maybe-'_

But his thoughts are stopped when a massive flash happens close by, and all the cadets turn to see a form towering almost taller than the wall they're stationed at. Skinless blood red, teeth and muscle exposed in a grisly manner, and the eyes. The same eyes that stared out at Shinganshina 5 years ago. The same eyes that had a blank look that betrays a hint of guilt as it stares at them. No one moves, paralyzed by the sight before them... All except James. He stared at it with anger. Before him stood the reason he was here at all, the reason he was a warrior, the reason he was an orphan.

The Colossal Titan had reappeared. Hell had returned, and it was today.


	22. 22:Trost-Retalliation

**Alright, Trost Arc is getting into gear. Some chapters will be longer than others, probably because I will be using both desktop when I'm able to, or mobile the rest of the time. Either way this story will not be forgotten nor delayed unless my internet goes out. And even then I'll make sure to give some extra content. I'm also going to be putting up a drawing I did of James Titan so far. I've sketched it out, but it isn't all that good yet. Hopefully it'll give you guys a good visual when reading the upcoming chapters. As usual _please_ drop a review. I really wanna hear fom you guys. Let Us Begin.**

Trost- Retalliation.

The freshly graduated soldiers flew over the edge of the wall into Trost. When it appeared the Collasal Titan blew them away with a massive burst of hot steam, and they felt the outer gate get kicked in.

' _Its_ _happening again, just like, No..We're ready this time, IM READY!'_ James thoughts yelled as he grappeled into the wall to slow his fall. All around him his friends did the same, but Samuel was _still falling_. He appeared to be unconscious. Looking for who was closest, he spotted Sasha already running for him.

"Hang on Sam! I've got you!" She yelled out as her harpoon caught his leg, breaking his fall.

Luckily he wasn't awake, or the pain would've been too much for someone normal. James and Connie saw the gate, _it was already gone._ The nets and barricades were scattered from the rubble, and the hole was _enormous_. But there had to be a way to plug it up, maybe using what used to be the gate?

James shook his head, he needed to be focused on the now, not what he would be doing in a few hours. He saw the giant hand was still there, and heard Eren calling out orders to the others as he went higher up.

"This is our chance, everyone begin the assualt on the Colassal Titan!" James followed him up the wall and landed on the right side of the Collasal while Eren landed on it's left. They exchanged a look, both knowing what they needed to do: they had to kill the Collasal Titan. ' _Then again, easier said then done._ '

"Eren, flank left while I distract it from the front! Don't let it escape!! _NOW!!!_ " James yelled out, and Eren began his charge towards its left shoulder.

The massive titan lowered itself, and brought it's right arm to sweep the area where James had been standing. Cannons were knocked over with deliberation, and James leapt over the edge, aiming his hooks at it's chest. They sunk in, and James rocketed towards its face. As he neared it, he could see some something in it's eyes.

 _Emotion_

Guilt and determination stood out, ' _but_ _why would it feel guilt for doing this? It knows exactly what its doing, but feels bad for it?'_ His thoughts were angered, but he began to think more and more as he neared it's face. Eren had travelled up the left side by now, and was aiming his swords for the nape. As they got closer, a sudden terrible thought flashed across his mind.

 _'He's got intelligence, emotion, he knows what to do..but feels guilt? Why? No..is he a **shifter**?!'_ James eyes widen at the thought.

As the possibility crossed his mind, he saw Eren closing in to strike. He was so close, and James was near it's right cheek, when it let loose another burst of steam. James clung on as best he could to the flesh, and Eren did the same as he sailed away from the back. Both of their harpoons were still attached, and braving the heat, they both rushed at the nape swords ready. Steam clouded and obscured their sight, and as the air cleared...there was nothing.

No body, not even a person fleeing if he was indeed a shifter. ' _Where the hell did he go?!_ '

Coming to his senses he fired his hooks into the wall before him. Eren copied and they both stared at shock at the aftermath. The gate was gone, three massive footprints imbedded in the ground. Out in the interior they could see Titans beginning to approach, nearly 2 miles away.

James called out to Eren "Hey, did you see anything after? Where he could've went?"

"No, Nothing! It's just like 5 years ago!" Eren responded.

 _'Shit, and I can't try to patch the hole without being noticed. There's enough rubble from the blown away gate to do it, but I'll be seen. Damn!'_

They both made their way to the top where they had been stationed. Connie and Thomas were waiting for them, both of their faces very grim. James looked around for the others when Connie told him, "We've been given orders to return to the armory. Seems like their trying to evacuate the city before any titans stream in."

"That's good, they're still a good distance away, so we might get out them out without casualties. Are Sasha and the rest ok? Any word from the others?" James asks, also thinking of Annie.

"Not sure, I know our group left after you guys went to fight, but we stayed back to tell you. We should start heading there too." Connie asks, keeping a cool head despite what's happening.

Nodding his head, James takes one last look at the gate, before taking off on his ODM towards the center of the city. Another thought passed his mind as he saw the inner gate of the city.

 _'I wonder if **he'll** show up as well.'_

Trost was in panic mode, civilians ran in large groups towards the inner gate. People pushed others aside, none caring to take personal belongings, which was smart. The evacuation though frantic was actually more effective than the one that happened in Shinganshina years ago. ' _More proof of change, this time we were somewhat prepared.'_

By the time James and the others reached the Armory, there was only a quarter of the city left to evacuate. The rest of the trainees were all standing about anxiously in the courtyard, scrambling for news and searching for friends.

James himself was searching for Annie and anyone else he could find. He was looking around for her trademark bun, when he heard a voice behind him, that _sweet, sweet voice_ that he'd been looking for.

"James! Over here!"

"Annie!" Turning to his left he saw her running to him, Reiner, Bert and Sasha trailing behind her. As she got closer he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her fiercely. She returned it and pulled to ask "Are you alright? I heard you were right there when it-"

"I'm fine, me and Eren tried to take him down when he showed up. We were damn near close before we got blasted back by steam. We pushed through but when we reached him, he disappeared. _I don't know how, but he just did"_ He said the last line gritting his teeth.

He took note of how the rest of his friends looked, Reiner was quite grim, while Bertoldt was looking completely panicked. They were probably having flashbacks to 5 years ago. When the inner gate broke, their village had been raided by Titans. That one was on James, he was the messenger and he had missed their home somehow. Those deaths were also on him.

He knew they were probably scared that history was repeating itself today, as were many of their fellow soldiers. But James kept his head focused, because today would be different. He was ready, they all were. With his powers, he'd be able to slow the invasion, and possibly stop the inner gate from getting hit if that other _Bastard_ _showed up again._

James was anticipating his return, and was ready to shift when he got the chance. He wasn't getting away this time, even if he had to compromise himself in front of a select few. He'd do what he was raised to, who he promised himself he would avenge. _'I'll rip his armor off, piece by piece. Then I'll Devour him, **slowly'**_

Sasha was also anxious, but she was watching James intently. She probably though he would be having a hard time with this, and though she was right, he had a hard time believing how calm _he was_ staying. The reappearance of the Colassal Titan, on the Anniversary of the first attack, should've been sending him over the edge.

But he was kept himself collected, he knew his duty, those he had to rely on and protect, from Annie to Sasha to Connie. He had to be a warrior, and his chance to prove it had come again. He wouldn't fail this time, he was ready. He knew what he had to do, and now he just had to wait.

"Any idea what we do now? Cause everyone seems to be gathering over there" James heard Reiner say, and sees where he's pointing. Many of the soldiers around them were heading there and assembling themselves into ranks. He saw a garrison captain calling for order.

"I am Captain Weilman, officer in charge of the evactuation effort and leader of the Garrison inside Trost. Now, all of you are to help deter Titans and keep them away from the civilians leaving the city. As you know the Colassal Titan appeared and destroyed the outer gate. With the knowledge of the attack 5 years, we can assume that though the Armored Titan has yet to make an appearance, he will most likely show up at some point.

When and if that happens, all remaining soldiers in the city are to alert high command and attempt to engage the target long enough to devise a strategy to eliminate him. Furthermore _any_ soldiers who attempt to _flee or disregard_ orders will be _executed on the spot!_ Keep these orders in mind as the evacuation continues. You will separate into groups of 4 to 5 and deploy to keep titans at bay long enough for reinforcements to arrive from the other districts, as well as the return of the Scouting legion. Are these orders Understood?!!" He yelled out.

 ** _"YES SIR!!"_** All soldiers in the square shouted in unison. As he left they broke formations to assemble their squads. James saw Eren take Armin along with Mina and Thomas. Mikasa attempted to join but was called out by another Garrison soldier to help the rear guard escort the remaining civilians from the city. James looked around and picked his three choices, Reiner, Bertoldht, and Annie.

He picked them because he knew how skilled and close they were being from the same village. As well as being some of the closest friends he had, he knew Annie wouldn't have let herself get sent off from him.

"Alright, You three, your with me. We're gonna be heading towards the breach. We'll make sure there's no stragglers, and take out any titans to that manage to get in. We leave in 5, make sure you have fresh blades and your gas is full." He began firing off, as he also checked the quality of his paring blades.

They weren't used, since he hadn't been able to strike his intended target when he got the chance. It wouldn't happen again, when or if _He_ showed up.

 _He'd get his revenge today, and he would savor the taste._


	23. 23:Trost-Return of a Hunter

**Gald to see another review, thanks Fanfic Shuffling. Hopefully I'll get a few more with the Trost Arc taking off now. Canon divergance as usual, but will try to stay within the main events of the real story. As I stated before it'll change into its own thing during the Female Titan arc into where season two is. After that, it'll completely turn into its own thing without major manga events, and will not see the Uprising Arc though it takes place in the background. As usual drop a review, let us begin.**

Trost-Resurfaced

They were close enough to the crushed remains of the gate, but kept a respectable distance from the hole. They saw the forms of a dozen Titans consuming the last Garisson soldiers in the city. The poor bastards had been sent in when they were retreating and restocking at the armory. All that remained was their bodies being swallowed by the mindless beasts. James took a count of how many were clustered, and how many were on their own.

He gave orders to Reiner, Annie and Bertoldt "Alright, we split into two teams. One distracts the target while the other flanks to strike the nape, got it? Don't engage abnormals alone, call us all together if you find one"

The nods and voices of agreement kept him steady in completing their task. This would be quite an experience to him. He only killed Titans while he was in his Titan form, with a proud count of 108 Titans during his 3 years of wandering outside Wall Maria. Trying it out as a human with Odm was something that interested him.

He knew the techniques, and had excelled in applying them to test dummies, but felt that he would always prefer his own two hands. But in order to keep up his act, he had to do it as well. Now or never, time to put those skills to work.

Reiner had been his distraction partner, while Bert was busy luring a 7 meter towards Annie for the strike. James jumped over rooftops to a building just near it's neck. Reiner had brought a mighty 12 meter with no problem, and James was ready to strike as soon as Reiner got out of the way.

"Now!" Reiner called out, and James rushed out firing his gas. He rocketed towards its neck from the right and slid the blades straight through it's nape. The weak spot slid out and the Titan fell into a building. They both heard another boom, as Annie took hers down. ' _So far so good_. _Only ten more left_ , _great_.' Time for the next set.

For twenty minutes the process repeated over and over. As the last one fell, they paused to take in their surroundings, and were startled when they saw a _new_ group pouring in from gap. _'Fucking great, we take out these guys and more show up. Just great.'_

James saw that this group had more members, _many more_ , and assessed their status. He took inventory of their equipment, they each only had one set of blades, and their gas was halfway gone already. They'd have to retreat to the armory and restock or they'd be overrun. Though they had been hard at work trying to keep titans away from the rest of the city, a few had slipped past.

They varied in size, and a few were abnormals from how they moved compared to others. They were somewhere, moving about in this maze of buildings, hunting for prey. They couldn't engage any more, so James had to give the retreat order. As he went to open his mouth, he saw a red flare fire off near the center of the city.

 _'Whats going on? A retreat signal for every soldier? Why? Have the Titans made it that far in? Dammit!'_

 _"Alright,_ we all see the flare, let's head back and secure the armory. We won't make it over the wall with only half our tanks. Let's go! Annie, Bert, let's move it!"

"On it-" Annie went to say but an large abnormal she'd been eyeing leapt at her. Her cables fired off but missed their target. She fell almost to the ground when the massive hand grabbed her.

James world seemed to rush by as he rocketed at her, not caring about his gas. 'No!! _I'm not losing her!!'_ He saw her disappear into the mouth and crashed into the Titans face, breaking his right tank.

 _Annie_ was close to the back of the throat, and almost swallowed when she saw that the mouth didn't close. A hand grabbed her, and she saw James struggling to hold the teeth apart. She looked and saw that his rig had been damaged when he got into the mouth. he wouldn't be able to get them out, as brave and galliant as the act was.

Or, _that's what_ _she thought._

She saw him pull her hard and throw her onto a nearby rooftop with a yell. Reiner and Bert helped her to her feet, and saw that James was still in the mouth. The Titan he was in stood at about 15 meters, and the jaws were slowly closing. They went forward to rescue their leader, their friend, when he yelled orders at them.

"NO! Reiner, Bert! Get Annie to safety, help secure the Armory! Go now!" All of their eyes widened, and Reiner was the first to voice his dismay as he went forward.

"What are you crazy James, we're not leaving you! Just-" but James cut him off.

 _"I am giving you a direct order as squad leader Soldier! My gear is broken, I will only slow you down, and endanger you. You will protect Annie, and you will take her and yourselves to the armory, is that understood?!"_ James yelled with anger as he struggled to keep the mouth apart.

"I.." Reiner stuttered to respond, but couldn't form the words fast enough. His face was wide with shock as he processed what he was being ordered to do by one of his best friends.

"Just leave me and go, I'll get there myself, don't worry. I need you two to do this, do you hear me?! _I need to know that she'll be safe_. _Please Bert_ , Reiner" James called out desperately, giving a heavy grunt as the grip he had began to wilt. The jaws were getting closer...

Annie was frozen in place, but tears were flowing down her face. She voiced her mind as she went to move forward, but Bert and Reiner held her back. She looked at them with wide eyes as she took in their expressions.

They were the same faces they had years ago, when they completed their "Tasks". The guilty look of determination. They weren't going to back down from this, as much as it hurts them to do it. Annie wouldn't let them stop her, she screamed out to him.

" _James don't do this godammit! Please just let us help, you don't have to sacrifice yourself for nothing, I'm not worth it! Please, dont die because of me!"_ Her pleas didn't go unnoticed, as she saw him focus on her, and give her that heart warming smile that she had grown so fond of.

She stopped and watched as he told her "It's what I _want_ to do Annie, because _you're worth it to me._ _You always will be. Now go._ " He locked eyes with Reiner and Bert one last time, before he _flung himself further into the mouth_.

" ** _NOOOOO!!!!!!!"_** Annie screams as she watched his face disappear, his warm smile just behind massive teeth. Reiner and Bert dragged her crying to the next rooftop, trying to hold in their own tears, when they heard a crash and turned around.

The Titan that had eaten James now lay on it's back groaning, while it's stomach began to grow rapidly outwards. Near the chest area large points appeared, as claws ripped their way _out_. The trio watched as a form began to emerge from the Titans belly, covered in gore and seeming _demonic_. Annie realized now what she was seeing.

 _James transformed._

She heard Reiner and Bert's gasps as they too realized what had happened. Bert's face was in complete disbelief, but Reiners was the one she focused on. Where they had once been guilt and determination, she now saw pure terror and understanding. Because she knew he was putting together that _James was the shifter he fought 5 years ago at the inner gate._

The shifter that he killed a family member of, and Bertoldt saw it too. He now also had a death sentence should they ever tell their superiors. He had killed James parents, and though he had the guilt before, he now felt even worse for killing his own kind.

She looked away from their faces and took in James titan form with wide eyes. _'By the walls he's scary to look at. No wonder Reiner was afraid of losing years ago'_

Standing a a steady 16 and a half meters tall, James looked like a monster, even to a Titan. His sharp claws on his hands and feet ripped and tore away the remaining gore on his body. He looked very fit and agile, with strange armor like parts all over his body. Where on Reiner they looked like muscle that rose above the skin in plates, James looked more organic. It covered nearly every part of him like scales on a lizard. His back had 2 small rows of spines trailing down the center of his spine. His _face_ though was what startled her the most.

He was draped by weird flesh like "hair", that twisted like snakes around him. If she had a word for what to best describe them as, she would say Dredlocks. They curled and unfurled around his face, where sharp teeth were shown interlocking in a near lipless mouth. His eyes were bright electric blue, vertical slit pupils visible even from where they stood.

He stood there for a moment, hunched over, before his mouth opended. He reared back and roared a high screech at the heavens above, that made them all cover their ears. It sounded terrifying, as if he was downright bloodthirsty. As he lowered his head, he noticed they were watching him. They watched as he raised a finger to his lipless face, and bowed his head to them. _Secret_ , he seemed to say to them. He seemed focused on Annie, before footsteps made them all turn their head.

A 12 meter had lumbered over towards where they stood, and James roared at it before he charged. They watched as he sent his claws right through it's mouth and tore it's nape out. As it fell, he raised his foot to bring it down viciously, again and again. He crushed the nape in his clawed hands, and roared in primal victory before looking around for more.

He took one last look at the trio before making his way to another group moving further into the city. They watched as he began to pick up speed, and decided that they could finally move.

They kept silent on the way to the area where the other cadets were regrouping. But one thing was shared on all their minds, a thought that had different meanings to them.

 _Things_ _have changed._


	24. 24:Trost-Decisions

**Alright just posted chapter 23, and 25 should follow up quickly after I finish with this one. Understand that as I update I begin to work on the next one. As I have the time, I write where I left off. Hopefully you guys enjoyed the last chapter, and like where I will be going in this one. As usual drop a review. A side note, I am going to be writing a monster musume story when I'm not writing for this one, I'll post that when I get the chance. Let us begin.**

Trost- Decisions

Annie, Bertoldt and Reiner were halfway to the fallback position when Reiner suddenly stopped and faced her. His face was angry, and a bit fearful. She stopped and waited, as did Bertoldt who knew a confrontation was coming. Reiner started by asking the obvious question, with a hard tone.

" _Did you know_?" Annie chose to stay silent for a moment, mulling it over, before telling him the truth.

"Yes, I knew from when we started fighting together. I figured it out on my own, he didn't tell me." She tells him sighing, with eyes closed.

"And you thought that this was something you could just keep hidden away from _Me, from Bertoldt_?!" He shouts at her. She doesn't flinch, because she isn't ashamed for doing it. She tells him why she kept it a secret.

"And what would you have done if I _had?_ You two already had a hard time knowing you were the cause of his families deaths. How do you think you would've felt knowing he and his family were _like us?_ You two would've broken even more." She yelled at him.

"Annie, this is something you should've told us, but...I _think_ I can see why you didn't. I just never thought.." Bertoldt told her slowly, he was still pale knowing he killed his kind.

"Does he know about you, us, why we're here? You tell us right _now if you told him!"_ Reiner demands as he stands directly in front of her. He isn't going to let this go without knowing for sure.

"Of course I didn't. Do you honestly think you would be alive if I ever told him who we were? _He_ _hates_ _who you two are as Titans,_ _**especially** you Reiner._ I _know_ you've seen that look in his eyes whenever you got brought up with the gate. He wants nothing more than kill you. And even if _I_ revealed myself to him, I'm certain he wouldn't hate _Me_ , since I haven't actually done anything to him. So I made a decision that I felt was best for all of us."

"And what about home, are you gonna tell him that if you reveal yourself?" He asks, trying to keep himself angry despite her flawless logic.

"I'd only reveal it if I were caught. Hasn't it occurred to you that he _might be the one_ _we're here for_?" Annie asks. But Reiner has a response ready for her.

"If he is, then we're _screwed._ He's not going to want to help us after what we've done. We'd never be able to tell him until we were actually there with him in hand. And even then he might not help-." But Annie cuts across him.

"He _might_ , you don't know how he is _personally_. You two haven't seen how he is when he's near me, how he sees _himself_." She tells them bitterly at the last part. Reiner narrows his eyes at her words, and even Bertoldt is curious as to what she means by that.

"What do you mean 'how he sees himself?' he obviously knows _what_ he is. What else could he think?" Bertoldt asks, confused.

"He _hates what he is, you guys._ He _still_ feels that his families deaths are _his fault,_ even if he tells me he doesn't. I can see it clear as day that he still blames a part of himself. So he calls himself a warrior in saving the people in the walls that he's close to, including us, so that he doesn't feel anymore pain. He told me that his parents raised him to be strong, to save people. If..if I could try and persuade him that no harm would happen to the walls if he comes with us, I think he would consider it."

" _You he might listen to_ , but what about _us_ , if he knew who _we were_ he'd kill us without hesitation." Reiner asks, though he can see the potential of her plan. It was crazy, but if the cards were played right it _might actually work._

"I saw what he was like years ago, when I broke the gate. He was _scary_ , more scary than what we just saw. I saw him rip titans apart like dolls before he spotted me. But.. he _did_ ask for me to stop before we fought. He tried to negotiate first. He may be like us, but he's still _human_ inside.

"And we aren't?" Bert asks, his voice uncertain. Annie knows he had the most guilt of the 3, being the symbol of fear throughout the walls. But she knows he hates himself for what he has done, which shows he is _human in a sense._

"I... _think_ we are. Or _hope, I should say._ I know that if I had a choice of saving home without doing all this, I'd take it. And I'm sure you both would too" Annie reassures him.

"You know, knowing him now... back then he didn't seem like he _wanted_ to fight, but just had to. And when we fought, it was much worse than the arena test we did. He didnt go for a killing blow, but he could've easily destroyed me if he really wanted to." Reiner remembers.

He also remembers the sheer pain he could hear in the wails James gave when he saw his sisters body. Reiner had felt afraid then, when he put it together that they were related. So he left while James was mourning, fearing the vengance he would get if he stayed. If he still had that rage and pain now, he and the others would have other plan their actions _very_ carefully if they wanted to get back to save Eldia.

"It's a longshot Annie, but..if you truly think you could do it, we can give it a shot. For now let's keep an eye on him and see if he really is the reason why we're here. I'm willing to try if it'll keep casualties down."

Reiner tells her and he looks to Bert for his thoughts.

The tall shifter was quiet, but he agreed to it. He already had too much blood on his hands that he never wanted, he was willing to go with a plan that meant less blood of his friends being shed.

With a determined look, he faces them both and says "I'm for giving it a shot. And even if he's not the one, if we were somehow able to convince him to fight _with us_ against the Beast Titan and the other haired ones, we'd have a helluva warrior to even the odds. We've all seen how he fights, he tops even you Annie, no offense."

She smiles slightly, both from Bertoldt's consideration for her feelings and her own small amount of pride knowing how strong a fighter the boy she loves is. "None taken, but for now...what should we do? If he's discovered, they might try to kill him."

Reiner thinks for a moment, before deciding the best idea given their limitations. "Let's try and keep the others from finding out, just chalk him up as an abnormal if they ask. And if they ask where James is, we tell them he ordered us to retreat while he looks for any cadets that are stuck. Agreed?"

"Sounds good to me, Annie?" Bert asks, and she replies with a set look on her face.

They're all on the same page again, no more secrets. They had to work together to make this work. Eldia and those who lived there, as well as their souls depended on it.

"Alright let's get to the others. We'll keep an eye on James if we see him again, just act surprised if the others ask. Remember, he even wants to stay vigilant." Reiner tells them as the resume their trek to the fallback point.

Elsewhere

James was just finishing up tearing out abnormals spine when he heard a deep bellowing roar from behind. He turns and sees a 15 meter watching him warily, and he assess it before he moves. It was quite different from those he'd just killed, and the thought prompted him to take a closer look. It had a muscular, fit form like himself, though not nearly as agile looking. It didnt have armor, but looked as fit as a soldier did fresh from camp, and it had a different face from the others.

A set of teeth sat on a lipless skull like face, followed by _another set_ higher up. It had brown hair that fell nearly to it's shoulders, and bright emerald green eyes that had a glow to them. They seemed oddly familiar, and James decided it was most likely a shifter. He saw a smaller 5 meter appraoch from the side, and before James moved the new shifter roared angrily and rushed at it. He watched it punch and stomp on it's nape twice, before resuming it's watch on him. James decided he would try to speak first.

Letting out a low screech, James asked a question to the newcomer. _''Who are you?''_ The newcomer responded with a low growl _''Eren...Jaeger...you fought years ago against...Armored Titan?_ '

''ERENJames thought. 'How in the hell..?' He shook his head, and responded with another roar. '' _I_ _am..are you fighting for humanity?''_ James watched as the Titan that claimed to be Eren nodded slowly and roared out proudly.

 _''Protect humans, protect..friends. Kill..all Titans...every last one!"_ James felt a smile appear on his predatory face, and felt a surge of pride inside him. 'Now this will be _fun'_

Growling out to him, James told Eren.

'' _Keep secret, I do not wish to be known...but I fight like you. For friends, for humanity. Go, lets save them Together!_ '

' _TOGETHER_ _!! FOR HUMANITY!!'_ They both roared loudly.

They split up and headed to the place where the red flare had appeared earlier. _'This is good, no great!! Not only am I not alone, but it's someone who will use it for good, one of my friends. He's always wanted to fight for his others, his family, just like me. And now, he has that chance. Lets hope he can control himself, I'd hate to have to knock some sense into him. He always was stubborn, he might take it personal.'_

Together, the pair would even the odds for the people in the city they fought for in their hearts. They would give humanity the first victory ever before the day was over. It had began to rain, clouds covering most of the sky. James took the feeling of the water patering on his skin to remember one of the reasons he was fighting now, _Annie_.

She loved the rain, when he first saw her smile at a thunderstorm back in training. And he remembers smiling back when he joined her outside in it. They both enjoyed it, the water hitting their skin, and felt it was their own special thing while the others took refuge inside. He sighed at the memory, before bringing himself back to the now. _'Soon, my love. Soon'_


	25. 25:Trost-Progress

**Ho** **pefully you guys liked the last one, even if I uploaded it somewhat at an abnormal hour of the night. I was just listening to some of the calmer AoT soundtracks and couldn't resist adding that ending with the Rain.** **Hopefully it didn't feel too out of place. Episode** **10 was hard on me, and I knew Ymirs story beforehand. The music made me actually tear up for her, and I'm pretty sad knowin the season is coming to a close soon. Hopefully we don't have to wait another 4 years. Oh well, as usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

Trost-Progress.

Annie and the others had regrouped with the rest of the cadets. Though there were a few who asked where James was, they accepted the alibi they came up with. Annie and her fellow shifters noticed _alot of_ people were missing, including all of Eren's squad aside from Armin. They didn't want to ask what happened, though they knew the likeliest answer.

Armin himself was staring at the ground as if he didn't see anything, a look on his face of shock. Annie heard Connie trying to guess their next move, while Jean was explaining how those inside the armory had been overrun by Titans. None of them could leave, since they all had near empty tanks. Sasha was still trying to motivate people into fighting, though it seemed none would listen. Annie thought more about the girls actions, and where she fit in with James life.

She was the first to ask where James was, and though she accepted the answer easily enough, Annie felt bad that she had to lie to the one person he treated above all except her as family. But there was no telling if she knew about him, or anything about shifters. All evidence told her no, so she couldn't reveal him unless She were to ask James about it. She knew Sasha was one of the few people James acted truly open to, since he knew her for so long.

Annie remembered James telling her of how he had actually met the always hungry girl, and she'd been shocked. She then understood his actions in the first survival mission towards the wolves with what almost happened to her. Perhaps it had felt all too similar to him when it happened, that he had a stronger reaction.

Where he had simply saved Sasha by killing the wolf, James _massacared_ the ones they met with such hatred, because he felt more _personal_ with Annie than he did with Sasha. She understood how he viewed them, one as family, one as his love. _His_ _reason for fighting,_ he said before he transformed.

The feeling sent warmth through her grim and depressed mood, with all that was going on around them. She looked around for more familiar faces when spotted Marco has joined their trio. The usually chipper boy looked more crestfallen then she'd ever seen him, and heard him talking to himself. He stared at the sky with empty eyes, as if trying to see his fate there.

"It wasn't as if I wasn't prepared to die, I just...is my death going to be meaningless? Will it even matter?" The way he says it, so _resigned_ , sends a wave of guilt through her. She feels Reiner and Bert tense next to her, and they seem to all have the same thought.

' _Will_ _all this be worth it in the end? If we succeed..If we save home, can we truly live with ourselves...can we live with the cost?'_

Such troubling thoughts are brought to a halt as she sees Mikasa join the cadets. She seems to be looking around frantically for something, or more specifically _Someone._ She spots them and rushes over.

"Annie, I know it's selfish letting my personal feelings get in the way, with all of this, but have you seen _Eren?"_ The girl pleads to her. _'Selfish? So it's selfish to think about those you care about more so than others? Isn't it natural? Especially if they don't know how you feel for them?'_ She thinks to herself. She shakes her head and replies.

"No, but Armin is over there. He was found alone, no one's seen the rest of his squad." She tells the asian girl. She sees Mikasa turn and go to Armin, asking if he's alright. The boy is still staring at nothing, sheer shock plastered all over his face. She watches as he begins to break down crying, before reciting the names of his squad.

"...Mina Carolina, Thomas Wagner, and...Eren Jaeger, fought valiantly and gave their lives!" he yells out before he breaks down apologizing over and over. The news disturbs the cadets and brings what nonexistent morale they had plummiting to the darkest abyss. She then watches in shock as Mikasa stands, saying she's going to continue to fight. Annie sees that though her face is blank and resigned, her eyes betray hurt on a much deeper level.

"I'm strong...stronger than all of you. Your all cowards, if your just going to sit here and do nothing to make their rdeaths mean something. I am a soldier, and I will live. _The only way to live is to fight._ I win, I live. If I lose, then I die. But I can at least say that I tried to live for them. If your not going to fight then stay out of my way!" ending her little speech she takes off directly at the armory.

Annie is then surprised to her Jean talking to himself, "I was expecting something a little more _motivational_ , but I guess it'll have to do. Hey! Were we trained to sit by and let our comrades fight alone? I refuse to let that happen, I'm fighting, unless you are a coward, then _stay out if my way!"_ He takes off after the determined avenger. Armin too rises and wipes his tears, before pulling his blades and following.

"Hmm never expected to hear that from him, I guess today's just _full of surprises._ " He says to his squad. Annie and Bert agree, and they too draw their blades and charge the armory. As she leaves the rooftop Annie hears Sasha calling out to the rest who are still on the fence. "Hey what are you, a bunch of chickens? Our friends are out there, let's move out! We can do this, together!"

The words began to change from despair to determination among the cadets, and they raise their swords to give a fierce battle cry. The time was now, together they would secure their freedom, and they would have to fight for it. More run after them, trying to avoid Titans that block the path, but Mikasa cuts down any that get in her way.

Elsewhere James is busy breaking a 16 meters neck with a chokehold from the back. He hears gas and shouts coming loser towards him, and sees many of he cadets pass by a block away in the direction of the armory. _'So they finally got their spirit back, **Good**.' _ If any of them are surviving this, they have to fight. It was something he learned long ago, and it was solid advice that he found out Eren also lived by _. 'Another similarity',_ it was turning out to be a day of surprises.

' _Speaking_ _of Eren, where is he? We were supposed to split up and meet at the armory if we couldn't find more titans to clear out first. So where is he?'_

As he thinks this, he sees Mikasa run out of gas and crash into a building, before falling to the street below. _'Damn she seemed to be leading them. Looks like I have to get her before a titan does._ ' As he leaps onto a rooftop, he spots Eren very close to her position.

' _Saving_ _her huh? There might be hope for her feelings being returned yet.'_ Hopefully when he reveals himself, she'll still feel that way about him. ' _L_ _oneliness is managable, but being treated as a monster when you can't help but be born one is worse._ ' She _better understand._ Or I'll have _a few choice words_ with her when I sneak back.

' _I_ _hope Annie's ok, I haven't seen her yet. Reiner and Bert are strong, but if they failed to keep her safe, no one would be safe from his wrath. Human or Titan.'_ He begins to make his way over anyways, just to be safe. _'Eren shouldn't have to know loss like me. And neither should his "sister" or mother either.'_

Mikasa stared at her death as it approached with a hungry smile, that damn smile. She had no gas, a quarter left of her paring blade, and was cornered between two Titans, a 8 meter and a 15. From both sides they approached her, and she was ready to make her last stand when she was knocked forward on the ground, to see something she had only seen once _long_ _ago_ happen _now_.

 _A Titan attacked another titan._

The 8 meter was sent flying back by a vicious punch by the 15 meter. She saw it stand there for a moment, completely ignoring her. She saw it's lipless mouth open to growl at the other, it's green eyes blazing with anger. Letting loose a loud bellowing roar that made her cover her ears, she saw it run to the fallen Titan and begin stomping on it's neck. It did it with such savagery that Mikasa didn't notice Armin snatch her up and crash with her to the rooftops.

"Mikasa! Are you alright?" Before she could answer Connie landed by them and asked the same. Hearing Armin's voice tell him yes, Connie told them both "Then we better get the hell out of here. Crap, two 15-meter Titans!" He yelled out pointing to the one that saved Mikasa and another that had come closer.

"No...that's ones different" Mikasa told them.

They watched as the Rogue Titan bellowed a challenge to the other, which responded with a yell of it's own. The Rogue then took _a fighting stance,_ and struck the other with enough force to dislocate and launch the head at the nearby church belltower. The steaming corpse tried to rise but was stopped when the Rogue stomped directly on the nape. The cadets were in shock, and Armin was about to speak when _another_ Titan leapt from the rooftops to land near the Rogue. _This Titan was bizzare_ , _and familiar._

Weird snake like hair, a large agile and muscular form, and a predatory face that made him shiver. He heard Mikasa gasp next to him, and heard her tell them both "That's the one from home, the one that helped us escape! It kills other Titans!"

All three of them watch as the newcomer roars to the Rogue, but it isn't angry or challenging. If anything, it sounded as if they _knew_ each other from the way they both turned to face the armory. Mikasa Connie and Armin saw the pair exchange a few more 'words' before they made their way towards it. They seemed to be planning on attacking the Titans there.

Mikasa saw Armin give her tanks enough gas to make it there hopefully, and she told him to let Connie carry him there. The trio stayed behind the pair of Rogue Titans, but close enough to use the path they cleared of Titans safely. At this rate they would reach the armory in a few minutes at most, unless any other _surprises_ show up that aren't so friendly. Only time would tell, but the girl kept hope.

Isn't that the only way to suvive? To Hope, to fight?


	26. 26:Trost-Allies

**Alright, hopefully last chapter was written as somewhat accurately to what happened in the anime. I also might recommend certain songs from the AoT soundtrack at certain parts for a more immersive feel. I can't wait for the season two soundtrack to finally drop, I've been itching to listen to the full verisons of "Call of Silence" "Barricades", and "YouSeeBigGirlTT" for so long now. Hope you guys and gals find it interesting. I'm also excited to pump out these next few chapters since they gave James and Eren helping to clear out the city. Also more character development for James and his motivation(s) by the end of the Trost Arc. Hopefully you enjoy the _twist_ I've prepared. As usual drop a review and tell me your thoughts. Let us begin.**

Trost-Allies

Jean and the rest of the cadets had finally reached the armory and were brushing off the glass from broken windows when they heard massive stomps. A explosion knocked many of the cadets backwards, and they saw a Titan pair peering in from outside. Most fled, but a few were still rooted in place by fear, including Jean. He was thinking to himself "So this is how it is...no, _this is how it's always been_. There's no fighting them, no winning against-" when he gasped at what he saw.

A fist had connected with the Titans head, and was slammed it into the one next to it with enough force to throw the pair peering in down a block. Jean could only say the first word that came to mind " _What?!!"._ He saw the attacker, a strange titan with green eyes and long brown hair with a lipless face roaring deeply at the pair it had just punched. Down the street _another_ strange Titan was started ripping the fallen pair apart with it's hands.

That one looked even _stranger_ , the "hair" and overall monstrous face terrified him where he stood. It gave a higher pitched shriek that sent shivers down his spine, and saw it look around for more Titans before calling to the one that first started the attack. The pair exchanged small roars and growls, before they both began to roar loudly at the sky. The cadets who were watching covered their ears, including Jean and Marco to Annie, Bertoldt and Reiner.

The titan trio had jumbled thoughts running through their heads. Annie's was the most clear as she processed what she saw, seeing more Titans come to James and the other Rogue. It seemed they were _calling_ them out to fight, and Annie was certain the one fighting alongside James was indeed another shifter. However if it _was another shifter_ , then there a possiblity that James was _not_ the coordinate and merely just another shifter like herself.

It didn't make him any less special to her, but it made things more complicated if they wanted to be together. If this other shifter _was_ the coordinate, then she would have to find another way to convince James to leave the walls and come to her village.

She might be able to convince him with the same strategy, but how would she get him there by choice if she had to snatch the other rogue? She would worry about that later, right now she had to keep a clear head.

An even more pressing question came to mind, _who could the other shifter be?_ Someone living in the city, or one of their fellow soldiers? If it was one of the 104, she has be careful how she searched for him without causing suspicion. But she has to confirm that James wasn't the target, or else it would be a waste of time.

A new thought presented itself, _could there be more than one at once?_ The king of the walls threatened to unleash war when he denied their people's pleas, but when the attack happened no such threat was carried out. James was also alive at that time, but didnt display the ability when he fought Reiner. From this new revelation she had 3 possibilities: that James _wasn't_ the coordinate, _both him and the Rogue had_ _it_ , or _only_ _James_ _had it_ but _never knew how to use it._

All were valid, but only time would tell which was the truth. For now she would inform her fellow infiltrators and come up with plans for each outcome. ' _Later, let's just focus on surviving for now. After all, we still have to clear out the **inside** of the armory.'_ She overheard Mikasa telling the rest of the cadets about James's Titan being the one that fought years ago, and that they should use this chance to come up with a plan to clear out the gas supply.

James watched as Eren threw a fierce blow at a 8 meter that charged him, clearly the boy had _some_ control. He seemed like he was using basic hand to hand, while James was using a mixture of the fighting styles he learned from his parents, and letting the Titan guide him with the animalistic attacks. This strategy let him vary in his takedowns from crushing skulls in headlocks, to ripping napes out with his claws and teeth.

 _'Damn, just how many are in the city?'_ James thought to himself. For nearly a half hour since they arrived at the armory they've been fighting nonstop, and though James wasn't feeling tired one bit, Eren was beginning to run low on energy. He probably wasn't as experienced with the ability to shift, which prompted the question _'Did he know about it, or is this his first time?'_

Shaking his head, he leapt and crouched on a rooftop to get a better viewpoint of how many were left. He saw a handful make their way to Eren, while a trio of larger 15 meters lumbered his way. He knew that if Eren fought hard any longer, he'd pass out and be wide open as prey. If it came to that, James would have to somehow get him to those inside. He knew they were either trapped or trying to clear out the gas supply from any small Titans that got inside. He looked to Eren and saw he was still going strong, but it wouldn't last too much longer.

He made up his mind for what to do, and waited for the trio making their way at him, before he attacked. He leapt high and brought his legs down in a roundhouse fashion as he fell. He decapitated two from the sheer force of the kick, and lunged at the last one with his jaws wide open. To any who saw it, it would've been absolutely terrifying yet in a way, oddly majestic.

His teeth wrapped around it's neck from the front, and he used his momentum to throw it down to the side with his mouth. He tore it's throat out and spit some of it away, but swallowed the rest. Though he didn't _need_ to eat when he was a Titan, for some odd reason he _enjoyed doing it._

He saw Eren warding off his attackers brutally, and decided he would be fine with what he was going to try now. He made his way to the gate of the armory where the tunnel led into the center and most importantly, where the gas was. He crouched at the entrance and let loose a long shriek that surely anyone inside would hear. Hopefully it would draw any smaller ones out to where he could snatch and dispose of them. That way the cadets could make their escape, and he could sneak back in before they noticed.

Annie and the others had cleared out the supply room thanks to Armins plan of drawing in as many Titans as possible. Since that small victory all the cadets had restocked on blades to gas and medical supplies. _However, that didn't mean that all the Titans in the armory were gone._ Reiner and Bertoldt were leading the way to the outside for the rest of the cadets, when they came across two 4 meter Titans that had been hiding in some farther part of the building. They drew their blades and readied for a charge when a long hair raising shriek came echoing down from the entrance to the tunnel.

Immediately the two Titans turned and began to slowly make their way towards the source of the sound. Reiner and Bertoldt looked at each other, and knew what it meant. _James was the coordinate._ But something else probed their minds, ' _how was that other shifter calling them as well, can there be more than one at a time?'_ They would have to find a safe area to talk with Annie and discussed what they had witnessed.

They slowly followed the 4 meter pair and saw sunlight as they neared the entrance. As the pair stepped out into the sun they looked for a moment, before massive clawed hands snatched them up. Rushing outside the cadets saw the bizarre Titan crush one in it's hands and tear the other in half with it's teeth. the sheer savagery of the act made the cadets pause as it then stopped to look at them.

Reiner and Bert locked eyes with James as he _seemed_ to look at them all, and his eyes asked a silent question as he began to look among the faces of the rest of them. It clicked in both their minds at once _'He's looking for Annie._ '

James was searching for his love when he didn't see her with Reiner and Bert. Before he could voice his dismay at what may have happened, he suddenly spotted her blonde hair emerging with Mikasa, Armin and Marco at the rear. _'Shes safe, thank god'_ Satisfied she was fine, he looked around for Erens form but came to see him pinned against a building.

Titans of various sizes were gnawing on his body, and he didn't seem to have the strength to fight back. Reiner Bert and Annie joined Mikasa Jean and Armin on the rooftop facing Eren and began to contemplate saving him. He heard a pair of footsteps and saw a blonde blank looking abnormal walk near the group when suddenly, hell broke loose.

Roaring in absolute hatred Eren ran forward, discarding the arms torn off by Titans and clamped his jaws hard on the abnormals neck. With no arms and by sheer willpower, he lifted the Titan by it's neck in the air before using it's body to crush and slam the few other Titans around it. He dropped the nape, and gave one last deep roar before falling sideways and collapsing on his chest. He then began to emerge from his Titan, much to _nearly_ everyone's surprise.

James saw his sister rush forward to retrieve him, and it seemed that she still cared for him. He was glad that Eren wasn't going to be subjected to being alone and treated as a monster. Now that the cadets were saved, it was time to make his own escape and sneak back in. He nodded at the group watching him as if expecting something similar, and ran fast towards the inner gate before dropping to all fours in a crawling gait similar to reptiles.

He emerged in the midst of a bloodbath from earlier on, took his broken gear off and replaced it with a rig he scavenged from one of the dead. He made sure that he hadn't been followed and began to make his way to the fallback point inside the wall. Eren as a Titan, his friends and love safe..

Today was victorious so far, and he was eager for more. _He will succeed._


	27. 27:Trost-Subjection

**Alright I tried to end the last chapter in a realistic way for James being vigilant in returning. Now this will take place at the same time as Eren being accused of being an enemy as shown in episodes 9 and 10 of season 1. Hopefully it flows nice enough to you guys. Might get emotional, fair warning. As usual drop a review and tell me your thoughts. Let us begin.**

Trost-Subjection

Sneaking in hadn't been too hard, all things considered. Since most of the cadets were told James had been surveying the city for stragglers, they had been more focused on securing the gas supply to escape. James couldn't blame them, and was glad for the lack of questioning. He made his way searching for his friends, calling out their names.

Finally he found Sasha sitting on a set of steps holding her stomach while Marco tried to calm down Daz. The cowardly cadet had always gotten under James skin, due to his complete lack of willpower when it came to anything stressful. How he managed to graduate or even last the first year was beyond him.

"Forget this, I'm not going like everyone else getting chomped like loaves of bread! I'm done, just let me do it!!" He heard the frantic boy shouting as Marco tried to keep him from stabbing himself with his blade.

He tried to tune it out and search for Annie and the others, but couldn't get the _''soldiers"_ yells out of his ears. Finally he had _enough_ , James stepped up to the struggling boy and pushed Marco away. Grabbing Daz by his jacket, he threw him at a wall and wrapped his right hand tight around his neck.

Daz's eye widened even more than they usually did, and went to yell out when James cut him off with his own shout of anger. "ENOUGH!! Just _Shut Up_! Look around you, we're all alive! _Your_ alive too you fucking coward. _I've had enough of your shit for 3 years,_ and I'm not going to listen to you complain when you actually get called upon to do what you signed up for. _Keep your mouth shut or I'll run you through myself, do you hear me_?!" The boy went silent, though his face was still just as panicked as James found it when he arrived.

Taking note of how everyone had been watching, he dropped the boy on his ass. He stayed silent, but rocked back and forth whispering more talk of it all being pointless, that death was here for them all today. James had to cool himself down, and turned to Marco and Sasha. He gave his "sister" a deep hug before he asked her if she knew where Annie was.

"Last I saw she was with Reiner and the rest over there. But Eren, Armin and Mikasa were all ordered to stay by the wall near the river. Eren looked like he was in some sort of haze, and Armin kept trying to talk to him but got nowhere." Sasha told him, and James began to worry. _'Why would they order them to stay away from everyone else? Don't tell me...oh shit, they might see him only as a titan and try to kill him!'_

Giving her a parting hug, James ran to where She said Annie and the rest were located. He needed to find her, Reiner and Bert before he could be compromised. They had seen Eren emerge from his Titan, and might have put two and two together about James as well. For a few minutes his thoughts were switching between saving Eren from any backlash for being revealed as a shifter, to what he should tell his squad to explain what happened at the gate.

He finally found them all sitting or standing around drinking water, and spotted him as he got closer.

"James, where the hell have you been? You missed alot, you know that Titan that fought in your hometown? He showed up and helped clear out the armory with another Titan, or should I say _Eren._ Its crazy, but he came out of a Titan after it fought others. We've been told to keep quiet about it, but I didn't think I should keep it from you. _I knew you two were kinda close, both being from Shinganshina_." Jean muttered low, as if he still didn't believe everything he had seen today.

James took it all without much interest, after all, _he'd been the one clearing the titans out._ He looked to Annie, Bert and Reiner all in the eyes, conveying a silent message only they saw. _'We need to talk, away from here._ ' They nodded without being noticed, as Jean had turned to grab his water cannister.

They all heard a cannon go off, and saw a bright burst of light. Everyone saw a plum of smoke no, _steam_ was rising from the wall leading into Trost. Knowing it was something to do with Eren, James fired his hooks into a rooftop nearby. Reiner, Bert and Annie all took the chance to follow, and to talk in private with James. Jean and the rest stayed back out of fear of a titan possibly being inside the wall.

As they were out of hearing distance from everyone else, James turned to face the three of them. He was prepared to explain himself, if it ultimately came to questioning _what_ he was. He didn't want to keep secrets from Reiner or Bert, they were practically his brothers. He had a hard enough time keeping it from Sasha, and he certainly didn't want to lie to Annie. Especially since she "found out" about his little secret when he "sacrificed" himself to save her. He waited till they got closer, and told them with his eyes closed.

"There's no point in lying, so I won't keep you guys in the dark. However, I _beg_ of you to keep this between us _only._ I already messed up by showing my ability in front of you 3, but I had no other choice. Just _please hear me out, I'm not a threat._ Don't be afraid." He stopped and took a breath, waiting for their answers.

Annie was the first to do anything, as she walked up to him and hugged him as if nothing had changed. He was astonished she did it, _'Does she still think I'm not a monster? Does she really think the same of me?'_ As he tries to understand her actions, Reiner speaks up.

"So you...can turn into a Titan? And..your the one that fought back all those years ago?" He seems a little wary, but trying to understand. James can see where he's coming from, he wants to know if he was an ally to humanity. So he gives him an honest answer.

"Yeah I can. My family was able to, and I learned very early on how to master it. But as you know I left, the reason why was because it was all too much. The training, both as a human and as a titan was hard, and then my parents told me why they made me learn to be a "Warrior" to humanity. I just..couldn't handle the responsibility, and I fled. I came to my senses two years later, and returned the day of the fall. After that I tried to warn other towns...so.. _I'm sorry_ Bertoldt, Reiner..it's _my fault_ your village was raided. I _failed_ to do what I was raised to. I'm the reason you guys don't have a home. _I'm so sorry...I didn't.."_ At this, James lowers his head, unable to continue.

Reiner almost can't keep it together. He knows _he's_ at fault, that James is feeling guilt for something that's not true. Bertoldt stays silent to stop himself from coming clean about who he was and apologizing to James for what he's done to him. Bert knew _they_ were the ones who took _his_ home, his family. Outwards he looks as if he's just having a hard time accepting the knowledge. He walks up to James and gives him a half hug, that Reiner joins in.

Annie watches the whole thing a few feet away, but doesn't join the hug, not yet. She knows this is more personal between the 3, even if it's mostly lies about how things happened. The feelings are the same however, and Reiner puts a hand in James shoulder to tell him "No, it's not your fault. If I went through that much pain, I don't think I could've done any better. Your a Warrior to me. And I'm proud to have met you" And Reiner means it, even though their first meeting was the tragedy of his family by his hands.

Bertoldt nods his head in acknowledement, and tells James "Don't ever be ashamed for being what you are. _You've saved people James._ You helped save people in your home, you saved your friends and the rest of the soldiers back there in the city. You don't need to be forgiven in my eyes, because there's nothing to forgive."

James lifts his head at their words, and looks to Annie, wanting to hear from her. "I told you, no matter what, I'll always stay with you. You've saved my life, _again_ and _you make me the happiest I've ever felt in my whole life. I'll never stop loving you, even now."_ And she walks up to embrace him. James tries to hold back tears, and he remembers that someone else is also in trouble.

Wiping his face on his jacket, he tells the three " _Thank you, all of you._ Listen, I need to help Eren. I'm not letting another person like me get punished for being born what they are. If it comes down to it, I'll fight to protect him. I'll never be an enemy to humanity, but I'm not sitting by while he gets punished for something he can't fully control. I know what he's feeling, and I can't leave him like that." They all look at him and nod their heads.

They all understand inside how he's feeling, even if they can't tell him _how_. But his determination to save his own lets the trio know that they might have a chance at pulling off their gutsy plan after all. "We understand James, and..we'll try to help if we can. We'll keep your secret. I promise." Reiner tells him, much to his relief. Looking to the cloud of steam that's mixing with smoke, they all rush to the closest rooftop near the site without being noticed by the soldiers below. What they see next baffles them all equally, even with them all being experienced shifters.

A half formed skeleton is lying on it's ribcage in the midst of smoke, flesh wasn't even covering half of it. It's left hand was raised but blown apart, the bone beneath could be seen. The skull had eyes, but no skin or muscle to support it. It struggles to move, until James sees Eren emerge from the neck. He falls into the smoke and disappears, and seems to not be in control, or aware of what's going on. James could tell with certainty that this was probably one of his first transformations, though he is confused as to why he was able to form a perfect body back in the city.

 _'Was he unaware of even doing it? Was it his Titan guiding him when we fought together? Does he actually not know what he is?'_ Shaking his head, he hears the garrison soldier who gave them orders hours ago when the city was breached, call for the soldiers in the square to prepare to attack Eren if he showed himself. He bristles with anger as he thought to himself.

 _'What now?'_


	28. 28Trost-Fairness

**GuineaPigsOP, glad to hear from you, and glad to hear about the thumbs(and toe). And guest reviewer, this story will not have the Titan trio being Eldians ruled by the Marley. I hate them too much to put them into this canon diverging story, so instead they are Eldians trying to save their hometown outside the walls from the Beast and mindless Titans. More will be explained later on, but chapter 3 or 4 has more info as to the main plot of the story. Hopefully you liked how I changed a few things up while intergrating James into the others. Since the soundtrack for season two came out I've been really itching to write the more epic and emotional parts of the story, so forgive me if some moments feel a little _much_. As usual drop a review, let me know your thoughts (You know the drill by now) Let us begin.**

Trost-Fairness

James stood and saw Armin come running from the smoke and steam as Eren's half formed Titan began to decay. He watches as he tries to plea that Eren is _not a threat_ , but James hears the same captain from before, Weilmann he remembers, bark orders to ready the cannon and ignore Armin's steady reasoning that Eren can be an ally.

" _He's really doing **this** , after what Eren and I did to help fight off the Titans around the armory and other parts of the city?! Is he fucking serious?!!" _James growls under his breath, but Annie and the others hear it.

James grits his teeth as he watches the two exchange words with Weilmann becoming more and more paranoid by the second. The man keeps jumping to irrational conclusions and making the other soldiers tense, reminding James of Daz. James watche as Armin begins shouting his sworn loyalty to humanity, and to defending Eren to his death. He sees the captain raise him arm to fire the cannon anyways and goes to step forward and shift when Annie puts a hand on his shoulder. He looks at her in disbelief, till she points and says " _Wait_ , _look"._

James sees that Weilmann's arm is being held up, before the order to fire can be given. Holding him is a man that he's only _heard_ of from Armin and read about in academics, the _Commander of the entire Garrison._ _Dot Pyxis,_ legendary commander and strategist, known for his eccentric yet very effective methods of operation. People saw him with the same reverance most saw Erwin Smith, commander of the scouts, including James.

For some wonderful reason, he's keeping the captain from firing on Eren and the others. James can't hear him from the rooftops, but he sees all of the soldiers in the square lower their blades tensely at Pyxis's words. They still look scared, but aren't raising their weapons anymore. The 3 who were just nearly killed are now being _escorted_ to the top of the wall alongside the aged commander, without any problems.

James could hardly believe his luck today, so much has happened since this morning. The Collassal Titan reappeared, Trost was invaded, and he transformed for the first time in _years_. He fought and protected Annie and the rest alongside _Eren_ , who turns out can shift too. His friends and girlfriend are willing to keep his secret, and Eren isn't being executed for being declared a Titan. Any more stuff happens today and he might be overloaded mentally.

"Well..he looks like he's safe for now. I remember something Armin once told me about Pyxis, something about him using unique strategies? Do you think he has some sort of plan?" Reiner asks James, but sees he's still angry, staring at Captain Woermann with a glare worthy of Annie.

 _"I can't believe this, threatening_ _to kill 3 innocent people all because of your own fears, when all they've done is help?! This is why.."_ They all hear James muttering to himself, and they look to him. He notices and gives a sigh before explaining his rambles.

"Sorry, but it just gets under my skin. It's people like that captain that make my life so hard to be around "normal people". It's exactly what my mother.." He stops and shakes his head at some bad memory. But Annie presses on, wanting to know what he's talking about, even if it might be painful for him. "James..what did your mother tell you?"

He looks at her for a moment, and she see hurt in his eyes, but also resignation. "Her last words to me were a _warning_ , and an _apology_."

She stares at him in confusion but he continues "She told me that I could never reveal myself to people, to those I save. She told me that _despite everything I do for them, no matter how many I protect.. that they'll always hate me._ I just thought maybe it wouldn't be so bad if I did, I took a chance with you three and _you still treat me the same_..But it makes me angry to see how I would be treated if that were _me_ down there."

To them James sounds quite angry, but seems to be resigned that he can't do anything about it. Not unless he was given reason to, such as persecution for being what he is. Annie feels for him, but something for the night before all this madness rings in her head.

 _The night before_ :

" _What if you got in trouble for disobeying those orders? For living?" She presses on._

 _He laughs, a low but dark laugh. "If I get in trouble for doing what I know is right, then maybe I shouldn't be following orders from those people. Maybe I should stay alone."_

 _"What do you mean?" She asks him._

 _"I've always been on my own, Annie. Until I went and enlisted I was by myself. Not out of choice, but because I couldn't be near others, because of what I am. So I tried to be a part of something for a change, and I met You. I was actually happy for the first time in years. Kinda understandable when the world seems to hate you for just being who you are, wouldn't you say?"_

 _End flashback_

She realizes that there might be a way he can _help_ her retrieve Eren, if she could convince him that it was the right thing to do. He doesn't want him feeling the same persecution he did, she can tell by his words now. ' _I can save James...if I save Eren from the humans.'_ Reiner and Bert had agreed that they wouldn't leave Eren behind, he was one of them. They knew how their people were seen inside the wall. She could point him in the right direction that would lead them home, with her. She hears him sigh once more before he talks.

"If we're here any longer, they might get suspicious of us. We should get back with everyone else. I need to rest before I can change again, I need to make a plan on how to patch the hole." James tells them, but Bert speaks up.

"What if that's what Pyxis is talking with Eren about, maybe he plans use his Titan ability?" He suggests, and James considers it.

"That sounds like something he'd come up with, but from what I've seen with Eren's half formed shell, it's a little more complicated than that. Eren doesn't seem used to this or know how to do it properly. I know I wasn't perfect in the beginning, but _I_ _at_ least _knew_ _what I was_. Eren has no idea about it, so I still have to come up with a plan in case he can't." James tells them and they understand his logic, even more since they too know how hard the first shift is.

They accept his answer and follow him to where the rest of the cadets are recovering from the hellish day. As they split and integrate with the crowd, Sasha and Connie come up to James. They seem particularly worried about him, which makes him pause.

"Seriously guys, I know it's been a helluva day but what's wrong?" He asks. Connie seems to be trying to put his words delicatly, "It's just...I wanted to know if you were taking all of this well. I know it was already a bad day to you from this morning, but with alot of our comrades dying, Eren being MIA, and I know Annie was worried about where you were before.."

"Connie it's alright. To be honest I'm surprised I'm taking this all as well as I am. But I'm not going to let myself get overrun and my friends die because I can't keep it together. I'm good Connie, but I appreciate the concern. And I've seen Annie already, she's just grabbing some water with Bert and Reiner. We met up and talked, she's glad I'm fine, and I'm glad she's alive. I heard you guys had a heck of a time clearing out the armory." James tells his bald friend, putting him more at ease.

Connie half smiles as he recalls the crazy paln Armin had come up with, and James is impressed at the strategy the blonde devised in clearing out the gas supply. Then he heard that Connie and Sasha had nearly been killed when they failed to strike their targets deep enough. Sasha siezed up after that, and started to cry a little.

"I couldn't even move, I just froze when I saw it's eyes.. if it weren't for Mikasa I'd be dead, I couldn't even.." she rambles low, but James pulls her into a hug and tells her "Hey it's fine, your here and alive. That's all that matters, you've never seen one before, it _happens_. I know I was scared the first time I saw one, back when I was real little." She sniffles and wipes her face, before Connie puts his arms around her to keep her calm.

He'd have to thank Mikasa in the future for saving Sasha, and thank Annie for saving Connie. He knew they would've been broken if they had lost each other, much like how Annie and he would be if it happened to them. He already heard a taste of her screams when she thought he was about to die, and it was something he never wanted to hear again. He'd felt a brief moment of loss when he killed those two small titans blocking the cadets from leaving the tunnel, but it left when he saw her missing face.

 _That pain_ was one he never would feel as long as he lived, he'd _kill_ to protect her and himself from it. It was hard enough seeing the pain of friends you considered as family, but your loved ones in any peril was one that could drive a person mad with grief. And from that grief can come the greatest sense of vengance and rage known to humanity. He knew that feeling all too well, but kept it contained and fought to prevent feeling it again.

It often felt like a losing battle, knowing he won't always be there to protect them. But he would do whatever he could to fight, to win. And as he sees Annie's small smile as she hands him a canteen, a final thought goes through his head: _'I'll always fight, because I have a reason to. Her, and all of them, family...I fight for them. And I'll fight to my last breath if that's what it takes to keep them safe'_

 _'After all...isn't that the way of the warrior?'_ he asks himself.


	29. 29 Trost-Backup

**1985 glad to see you reviewed, and I probably will keep Marco alive. I was going to have him go initially in a more heroic way that helps shape the shifters humanity more, but I can see another way he could shape them and the rest by staying alive. So yeah this story will have heavy divergance, but follow events from the manga. However during the Clash of the Titans Arc, a few things will be changed due to divergance in the 57th expedition and Stohess raid. Just letting you know. Sorry followers for not updating for nearly a week, I spent most of the time revising all my chapters, as well as changing the formatting from my first 8 to be like the rest of them. Everything should now be smoother and fit better. As usual drop a review and let me know your thoughts on the chapter. Let us begin.**

Trost-Backup.

 _'Great, just great. Gotta do it myself._ _Now I gotta sneak away without being seen. Dammit.'_ James is searching for an opportunity to shift in secret. A few minutes ago, a red smoke signal had been spotted where the team escorted Eren to the massive boulder in the city. That meant one of two things: ' _Either Eren lost control',_ because James saw the lightning indicating he shifted _, 'or they ran into another shifter, maybe the Armored.'_

As the second thought went through his head, he looked around for a way to get into the city without being spotted. He knew that most of the soldiers were being ordered to hang low in a corner of the city out of the Titans reach. Armin had come up with the strategy to lure in as many Titans possible to give Eren a clear path to transport the boulder. He spotted most of the cadets fresh from graduation being used as rescue teams for those keeping the Titans in the corner. He sees an opening and slips away silently. He grabs a hood to conceal his face. What he doesn't notice is a small blonde watching his every move, who follows him as he leaves.

He's almost at a deserted section of wall, when he feels a hand tight on him from behind. He whips around and sees that it's only Annie who stopped him. "Hey, where are you going, they might think your desserting. What are you doing?" She tells him, keeping quiet to not draw anyone nearby. He points right at the red smoke, and tells her "There, they need help, and I can get things moving again."

' _He's_ _going to shift._ ' She looks at him and asks "James are you _sure_ , what if you get caught? What if someone sees, or Eren isn't under control, like you said before. What if he attacks you? What'll you do then?", not fully accepting his plan.

"Annie, I've done this long enough to know how to hide and shift properly. I'll be fine, don't worry. Besides I can't just leave him out there, they'll see no reason to keep him alive. As fucked up as it sounds, it's the truth. He's got to prove it to them, and with my help it's a guaranteed victory. Besides I'm 1000% sure he isn't going to be a threat to me, _I mean I fought the damn Armored Titan and damn near won."_ he tells her, confident in himself.

 _'And how well did that turn out?'_ a pessimistic voice asks him in his head. He shakes his head, _''No, this time, it's different. I'm ready'_ Seeing her look, he answers her last question.

'Listen, if I _do get caught_...I want you to deny _everything_." She gasps, and he holds his hand up to continue before she interrupts. He stares at her with unmoving, determined eyes, right at her icy blues that always draw him in.

" _My ability, my background, even me. I'm not_ _letting you get hurt if I mess up. I let it happen before with Sasha and it made her life harder after I left. Please promise me Annie, that you'll keep yourself safe. I'll find you if it comes to that, I swear on my blood. I'll still fight, just from the shadows if need be. Even if I gave to leave, I will always return to see you, I **promise**." _ His words shake her a little, and she has a glimpse in her mind of leaving with him if he's exposed, and revealing herself to him.

She wonders what his reaction would be, if he would still see her the same way. _'Of course he would, he promised it before he even told me about him, when I figured it out but stayed silent.'_ She nods her head at him slowly, and tells him before he leaves, "If you are caught, meet me halfway around the wall. There's something I want to tell you, before you leave. If your identity stays safe, then it can wait. Please?" she asks, waiting for his answer.

Giving her that heart warming smile of his, he gives her a kiss on her forehead and accepts. "Of course, i'll do do it. But please try and have a _little faith in me_ " he says smirking, trying to lighten the mood. She smiles a little, looking at him with kind eyes, and tells him to get going. He leaps over the edge and fires his hooks into a tall cluster of buildings in this section. He launches and bites his hand. Unlike Eren, and a few other shifters he's seen, (his family) he doesn't always have lightning strike where his position is. It's helpful in staying hidden for scenarios like this.

Feeling the familair heat of flesh wrapping around him, he waits until he's fully formed before he lowers his body to all fours. Using the cover from the high buildings he bounds forward like an animal to where the smoke originated. Along the way he only encounters 1 stray Titan, which he disposes of by mauling and crushing it's neck. He continues until he's less than a block away, and hears a voice shout out "Abnormal, 17 meters, engage!".

Looking around he sees the team that was sent with Eren to the boulder, and he rises while giving a neutral growl. They watched him in surprise, before he sees Mikasa land near him to confirm the target. She looks him in the eyes before declaring to her comrades that he's friendly.

"It's alright, it's the other Titan from before. It's an ally, it's the same one that fought the Armored 5 years ago, and helped Eren clear the Armory, don't attack it" She turns to face him again, and he stands at his full 17 meters looking around. _'Where is he? What happened?'_

She gets the message and shouts out to him "He's behind this building, sitting against the boulder. After he transformed he lost control and knocked himself out." James stares at her for a good half minute before she realizes he's asking _'Really? Why_ _did he hit himself?'_

"He attacked me, and I landed on his face to try and reason with him. He punched himself after that, and we can't get him to wake up or respond." She tells him, and James actually facepalms in his titan form. The gesture is so simple, yet so odd to see that the other members of the escort sqaud watch him with open mouths and wide eyes.

 _'Are you serious? Goddamit Eren, you had one fucking job and you knock yourself out? Greaaat. That'll really give them confidence in you. Either your getting your ass up to help, or I'm carrying a big ass rock today.'_

Knowing Eren isn't fully aware of his ability, James can forgive him a bit for this. However the next time he shifts, he better have control. ' _He needs practice if he's gonna hel-'_ but he stops mid-thought. That's ' _if_ _they decide to keep him alive'._ James is ready to exfill him if they deem him a threat. He's not letting another of his kind get persecuted,and should it come to it, he can reveal his identity to Eren. They would leave, but James would return to the walls.

He would however train him in secret outside the walls, or somewhere further in some forests. With James experience, along with Eren's own persistence in getting better at things, he knows he'll have the power mastered in less than a year. Then again, that was just in controlling and using the Titan. Becoming a seasoned fighter like himself, or working as a team as titans would take longer to fully get the hang of. And while James was a great group leader when needed, he wasn't cut out in his opinion to lead anyone on his own.

Like most of his life, he was mostly a solo operator. He didn't have to protect others, and only risked his life with his actions. But these last 3 years have changed him quite a bit. He was more used to being around others, working together as a squad. And he grew to care and love one particular person while becoming a soldier, Annie. He could never leave her, she had made him more happy in those three years than he'd felt all his life.

 _Her smile, her personality, her heart which only he got to truly see and feel..it was something he cherished in his time among humans. 'Why do I refer to her or any of them as 'human'..what does that even mean? Am I not one of them because I can become this? Or is humanity something thatt is proven by ones actions, I wonder? Have I earned that right, to be called human? Or was it something I always had, but never felt I deserved? What does that make me: Human...or Monster?'_

 _'Enough of this, I've got a job to do.'_ Shaking his head from his moral debacle, he jumps onto the building in front of him. He sees Eren slumped over in his Titan, the face almost blown away, still steaming. _'Damn Eren, how hard did you hit yourself?'_ He leapt down to land on his feet, and walked over to Eren. Getting on one knee, he tries the first genuies method of waking Eren up. The same way he would if they were in human form, _He smacks him upside the head._ He sees no response, and tries talking to him with a few growls and snaps roars.

" _Eren, time to get up. You have to do this bud, we gotta seal the gate. Hey you hearing me? C'mon wake up, rise and shine."_ He tries shaking his shoulder to no avail, which is seen by the squad watching him now. They debate whether or not to stay or retreat. Mikasa obviously wants to stay, and is backed by squad leader Ian in continuing to defend the pair of Rogues till they make a move.

 _"Dammit Eren get the fuck up, don't make me lift this thing by myself. They need to see that you can be trusted, Wake Up!!'_ He gives another good smack, and finally hears a voice coming from him, growled out low.

 _'Where...am I? What...is this? Wha-"_ James cuts him off with a light snarl.

" _Right now all you need other know is we have to seal the gate, can you do it? Or you gonna make me do it while you sit on your ass?"_ He says to strike that famous Jaeger attitude, knowing his will to push on is as strong as James. He hears struggling, and sees Eren begin to heal faster, his face half formed already. He hears him growl out " _Let's do it, **together** "._

James smiles, the sight terrifying on his scary face and roars ligjtly back " _That's the spirit."_


	30. 30 Trost-Struggle

**MrSmileyPichachu, glad to see your review, and am interested in what your story can offer. As for James titan form, I was** **originally** **going** **to call him the Draekon Titan, but I ended up making it his last name on accident. Now Im leaning towards him being called the Ravager or Mauler Titan, because of his savage and more animal nature.** **Or the Wyvern Titan later on when he reveals his titan speciality to the others. Tell me what you** **think sounds best, but when I decide I'll be sure to mention it in the authors note. As usual drop a review, all are welcome. Let us begin.**

Trost- Struggle

" _Alright_ _Eren, on three. 1, 2, 3!!'_ James roars as he and Eren grab onto the massive rock between them.

They each lift a side of the boulder onto their shoulders, both struggling for a moment because of the weight. Slowly but surely they begin to move towards the breach as Squad leader Ian orders his team to create a perimeter around the pair. Titans of smaller size try to approach them but are cut down by Mikasa and the other members of the escort team.

Things are going quite smooth, but a large group of 8 to 14 meter titans enters through the breach as the Rogue pair begin to leave the buildings closest to the gate, about 20 meters. James sees that the escort team is busy at the moment, and turns to Eren to ask for his opinion.

" _They're not going to be able to cover us, and if we let go of this thing too early we might damage it or it'll get stuck in the moats near the gate. Any ideas?"_ James asks, his eyes watching the group head in their direction. Eren stays silent for a minute, before he gives an unexpected answer. " _Give me the rock"_

 _"What?_ " James asks, not sure if he heard him right. But the response is the same.

" _Give me the rock, I'll carry it while you take care of them. I can get it there, I have to!"_ Eren growls.

James mulls it over in his head for a good ten seconds, before he finally agrees to it. " _Alright I'll clear a path as fast I can. Just try and get there before you buckle. Call out if you feel like you won't make it. Ready on three, 1,2,3!!"_ James growled and shifts the weight to Eren, who struggles for a moment, before he keeps the rock held firm on his neck and shoulders. He's holding it up, though his form is emitting steam from the exertion on his body.

Wasting no time, Eren walks towards the gate at a steady though quite slow pace. James rushes forward and begins to cut down the group ahead, taking half of them out before Eren even reaches the small bridge and moat. _'Almost there, just a little more!'_ he thinks to himself as only a handful of Titans remain in his way. He thrusts his hands into their faces and uses his claws to destroy their skulls before grabbing out their napes.

He faces the last one, a large 15 meter with a large belly, roaring as he aims a haymaker. The stupid thing just watches as the fist comes straight at it's face, and flies backwards from the force of the blow. It falls and tries to rise, but James massive clawed foot drops onto it's neck and crushes it to a fleshy pulp. He looks back to see Eren preparing to place the boulder, and watches with wide eyed anticipation. _'Cmon Eren, DO IT!!!'_ he thinks, and hears Armin shouting the same thing aloud as he too watches the Herculean feat happen before his eyes.

Eren roars loudly and slams the blouder home, blocking the gate once more from any Titans trying to enter the city. James watches unmoving for a moment, and actually feels his Titan smile as he takes it all in. ' _He_ _did it, we..we won. We actually did it, we took back the city!!'_ a feeling of utter pride and he roars high to the heavens, raising his fist in victory. Today was a day that would be marked in history as one of the first victories against them. A day that had began as the second darkest day for humanity, yet ended up becoming a day of _victory_.

The wall was intact, the city sealed from further invasion, and even better, the inner gate had not been breached. The Armored titan had not appeared, and though he was disappointed that he could not have had his revenge, he was glad that he didn't in a small way. If it had shown up, James would've probably been too intent on killing it that they wouldn't have been able to retake the city in the first place. His hatred and vengance for the Hardened behemoth was more so than Jaeger's for the eradication of all Titans. He wouldn't have stopped until the shifter inside was dead, crushed between his teeth, human or Titan teeth, it didn't matter. He would savor his victory, his vengance would be quenched, and his sister avenged.

Clearing his head, he sees that Eren has collapsed in front of the boulder he just placed. He also sees Armin Mikasa and another woman, a garrison soldier, trying to extract him from his shell. He goes forward to help in his way, but is stopped when he sees a short figure slice away the tendons keeping Eren held tight. The same figure also kills two Titans that had been approaching the small group. James looks hard, and sees a small symbol on the back of the soldiers cloak, a pair of wings.

 _The Wings of Freedom, of the Scouting legion._ He sees the figure eyeing him up, but James isn't having any of that. Not out of fear, because he's literally covered in armor, but because he doesn't want to retaliate with his first instinct to such an attack. Standing tall, he salutes and sends a nod at the figure, then one at Eren and the group holding him up. Turning away from them, he takes off as fast as he can without causing large damage to the streets and buildings. After all with such victory comes great sacrifice, and he knows he's going to be apart of the cleanup effort probably bring prepared right now. He hopes he's ready for this, wishing there weren't many that he knew well.

He's alone now, far away from the Scout who rescued Eren, and from any rescue team sent to maintain the Titans near the inner gate. He considers his next move, either staying in his Titan longer to help decimate the large cluster that was drawn in. Or leaving his shell now and returning to keep his cover safe without drawing suspicion. The first is _very_ tempting, but in the end he settles on the second option, taking one final look around.

Making sure he's alone, he drops to his knees and leaves his protected nape. He shakes off the feel of disorientation for a moment, before firing his hooks into a building. He lands and repeats the movement till he reaches a slightly more clustered section of Trost, and looks around. He knows there are soldiers in this section, including those he calls his friends. He needs to know if _she's_ safe, if she was even sent down here in the first place.

Taking a look around, he sees a small 6 meter walking at a trio of soldiers using a distract and eliminate technique, one he had actually ordered earlier that day. Hoping it's them, he makes his way over, also killing the titan by slicing it's nape clean out. He lands and hears familiar voices calling out to him, and finally hears the one he craves the most. He sees her running to him, while she sheaths her blades as Reiner and Bertoldt cover them.

"James!!" Annie shouts out to him as they close the distance between each other. She jumps at him and he pulls her into a tight hug, spinning her around for a moment before setting her down as he still holds her. He laughs a little at the affection, and she smacks the back of head. "That's for making me worry."

"Hey if you two love birds are done, I'd like to know where you've been." James turns to see Reiner and Bertoldt approaching him, with curious faces. He gives them a quick rundown of everything that happened since he snuck into the city.

"..And he took it and slammed it home! We've actually won today, I almost can't believe it. Then I ran as fast as I could to get away from them, I had to be real careful not to be seen. Almost reminds me.." James nearly finished telling them, but he hears that they're not alone. Someone is watching them from a rooftop behind them, and he continues as if nothing changed. He has to get their intruder into a false sense of security before he pounches on them. He always had a knack for that, bringing them in without them noticing he's aware.

Suddenly he fires his hooks at the rooftop where the spy is hiding, startling them, and as he lands they try to run. James almost stops when he sees who it is, but grabs them all the same by the jacket and throws them against a wall. It was riskier now that he's been compromised _again._ But knowing the person in his hands, it might be possible that he would understand. That genuinely good spirited nature of his always stood out to James, as were the freckles that adorned his face.

The watcher was Marco.

"So how much did you hear?" he asks the boy quietly, bit still casually. Marco is watching him with confused eyes, but answers all the same.

"From you leaving to help Eren plug the hole. Does that mean you..?" He asks, not believing it.

"Yeah Marco. I'm the other Titan that helped you guys clear the armory. I've been able to do it since I was little, I was born with it. However, before you go off fearing me, just listen to me first. Can I trust you to do that?" Marco stays silent for a few seconds, before slowly nodding his head. "I'll trust you, you never seemed like the bad guy ever. Just try and explain it slowly, I'm having a hard enough time just thinking about this."

Smiling slightly from the boys acceptance, he let's him go but still stands close by him. He sees Annie and the others arrive and watch him with wide eyes. He holds up his hand that he's got this, and Marco notices. "You guys too?" he asks, but the trio shake their heads, knowing they couldn't tell James or Marco _their secret_. This confuses him, and he asks"But then-"

James interrupts him "It's a long story, and not a very happy one in the beginning. But it gets better towards the end. I do ask that you keep your questions till the end, because I'll probably explain whatever your thinking at some point. _Can I trust you?"_

Annie steps forward, her eyes scared and asks James "Are you sure? Should you really-" but he stops her by responding "I know Annie, just trust me on this."

Marco looks at him, then at the trio and back to James. Slowly he nods, and James is relieved to see him being cooperative, ' _I_ _t'll be much easier if he's open minded.'_

He starts "Well Marco, it all starts with me training from a young age to become a _Warrior_.."


	31. 31 Trost-Loss

**Alright, glad to see more reviews, and yes his ability is flight, as well as the coordinate mentioned early on in chapter 2 or 3 I think, however is is _unaware of it_. Also Im not having Marco die in this story. He will play a small but important role later on during the Female Titan Arc as well as the Clash of the Titans Arc. I honestly had a major character death in my head last night that messed me up while editing and thinking of future chapters. Im not going to do it however, I'm going to keep the main of the 104th alive. Here's a hint, just like in the real story, this character was planned to have a horrible and sad death. That is all. As usual drop a review, let me know your thoughts. Let us begin.**

Trost- Loss

"I'm so sorry James, I never knew.."

Annie and the other three, including Marco tried telling him, but he stops them before their emotions get the better of them. However, _he is grateful for the sympathy_. It's the first time he's actually telling the trio, who knew longer what he was, about his full past. The tale had brought tears from nearly all of them, and they were all shocked at the amount of pain and loneliness that James has gone through in his life.

"It's fine guys, I understand. You deserved to know the full story, thank you for listening. And now that it's all on the table, what's it gonna be Marco? Are you gonna keep my secret, or help the world hate me even more?" He asks the freckled boy, who bows his head heavily.

"It's a lot to keep secret James, but I still don't understand, why would they hate you when you can help? You and Eren have the power to destroy the Titans but you want to keep yourself secret while he's exposed?" He asks, not sure of what he should do.

" _Because people fear_ _what they don't understand Marco._ I wish I could've helped keep Eren's secret, but you all saw when he left his Titan. I should've tried to get him out of there, but I was selfish, curious. I wanted to see what would happen, mainly from you guys, and his sister. I know as well as you how she feels for him, how deep and practically obsessed she is with him. I wanted to see if she would still care for him, if it was possible he wouldn't be seen as a monster.

I was glad to see it went alright, but then I saw what that captain did to him and his friends when we all returned inside the wall. I saw the persecution I would face if I revealed myself, hell I only told _them_ because they saw me save Annie. Otherwise I would've kept it a secret, until I was sure of what she would say. Do you know why?

Because I'm _scared_ , Marco. I'm scared that if I faced what he did in that square that I wouldn't have been able to control myself. I would've fought back to defend myself and they would see nothing but a beast, a monster in human form. No matter what I do or who I save, they'll always see me as something _not human._ That's why I'm _begging you, don't tell anyone. If you tell, then I have to leave, and I don't want to be alone anymore, Please Marco._ " He begs to the boy, and they all can see as well as hear the desperation in his voice, and on his face. He watches as Marco deliberates inside his head for a minute, before finally he sighs.

"Fine, I'll keep silent. I know how you are James, you don't start fights, but you do finish them. You like to be friends with everyone, and don't like seeing your comrades hurt. You're a good person, but know this: If you do turn out to be an enemy, I _will_ tell them what you are. If you stay an ally, I don't have a problem with you at all. I saw what you did with Eren to help us out earlier at the Armory. To me, actions speak louder than words. You're actions so far are telling me to trust you." He tells James, and he can understand the ultimative Marco's set.

He actually surprised that the boy gave him one, he usually seems so nice and easy going. But James understands that _this is a big deal_. While Marco understands and knows what James is like, his actions earlier with Daz made him a little wary of James being that way in human form, much less the terrifying 17 meter Titan he could become. But he'll trust him, because that's what friends are for. He's known James for 3 years now, or known who he is to them.

Reiner decides to break the tension by telling the pair "We should be heading back, I know with the gate sealed there's going to be more soldiers entering the city to clear it out. Let's get out of here, and just say we saw James fall and rescued him if anyone asks. Agreed?" They all voice assent, Marco being last but not hesitating. They turn and begin to make their way to the inside of Wall Rose, when Bertoldt asks James a question as they sail on their gear through the air.

"Hey James do you think Eren will be safe? The scouting legion just got back, and they may not know the situation with him. You think they'll keep him alive?"

"I think so, Pixis knew of his strategic value, and he might vouche for him if it comes down to it. Knowing Erwin and his way of doing things, they probably are thinking of a way to use him in retaking Maria. Erwin's always trying to think of new ways to do so, maybe with our Titans we can seal up the holes back home.." He stops for a moment.

They all slow down to land beside him, and notice the changing from hollowness to pure hate. They all back away for a money, before Annie asks him what's wrong. He doesn't answer for a minute, before he sighs slowly. They wait to hear what's troubling him. ' _He was fine before, probably thinking of a way to seal the gates back in Shinganshina.. **Oh** ' _Annie realizes, and turns to the others mouthing silently.

" _His home"_

They'd seen how he acted when he told them before, but he seemed more controlled then. He looks up, his face one of resignation and tells them. "It's just..I haven't been there since it fell. I don't know how I'd handle it if we were to get there and see..". His voice breaks for a moment, but he persists "If I were to see _Him_ there, I would lose all control. _I'd stop at nothing to try and kill him if he showed up._ "

He stops again, and without waiting for the rest of them, he just takes off. Marco falls behind him as he took off next. Annie and the other two hold back for a moment, and she sees Reiners face. He's looking at the ground, his face torn between guilt and pain. He's the one at fault for one of the hardest pains James feels, and he can't say a damn thing to try and comfort him. All because they have to save home. ' _If only there weren't people like this, innocent people, then it could've been so much easier.'_

Bertoldt drags his hand along his sword, and draws blood, which shocks his fellow shifters. Reiner nearly shouts "Bert what the hell!?" But Bertoldt looks at him with dead eyes, and Annie knows his guilt is threatening to pull him under again. He tells them, voice shaking "It's what I _deserve_...I'll heal on the outside, like him..But the pain _inside_ won't leave. All the pain I've cause...all the death, _Why_ _did it have to be this way?? Why us, why him?!"_

Annie struggles to ease him, but tries anyway. "For home, because if it falls, then the people here fall too. You know that, once they're done with us, they'll come here."

Reiner steps in then, and tells Bert with the most determined face he's seen yet on his friend. "Bert, _I know it's hard._ But in order to save our home, we need to be warriors. To save shifter and human alike, We need to make sacrifices, and get James and Eren back home. We do that, and we can save _everyone_. Like James said, they may hate us, but what _we_ do _now_ is for the greater good. I promise we'll _make things right."_

He too is having a hard time, but he's thinking ahead, _far ahead_. He's thinking about how to get Eren and James out of here safely, how and who should do it. He's thinking of what they will demand upon returning home as compensation for their mission, their reward. He knows Annie wants James, Bert just wants to be forgiven. But Reiner, he wants to make up for what he's done. He knows Bert and Annie do as well, even if she never did anything but bring them to the walls. They were the ones who created death and pain in their wake.

"If we do this, and get home we'll be rewarded for this. And I'll use it to help these people. It's the least I can do, for all of this. I'm not asking for you to do the same, but I'll support you in whatever you want when we get back."

Annie looks at him, and tells "I just want _him to be safe_ , but I don't want anything to happen to these people. Not after today, we've caused enough pain. I'll do this for the greater good." She looks over at Bertoldt, whose skin is fully healed, and blood cleaned off his blade. He nods slowly, and tells them "For the greater good. I'll ask to help here as well. I'm with you guys." They all take a moment to breathe in, before leaving to catch up with James and Marco.

Again they're all on the same page, and for once have something they haven't actually had the entirety of this mission. _Hope._ They had relief when they discovered who the coordinate is, or _are_ , but they never had _Hope_. And they also have a motivation for _after_ they return home, by writing the wrongs they've committed all in the name of saving home. By helping the very people they despised at first blindly, but came to learn were innocent. After all, it wasn't the _104ths fault_ for their village being in peril, nor the residents of the walls. _It was their leaders._

The same leaders who've kept their own people in the dark about the world outside the walls, about shifters, and the threats that are out there. All in the name of keeping control and _rule under the church._ Delusions of the many for the content of the few.

It disgusted them, and they were glad to know James had simar feelings about those further in the walls. Annie told them what James said before, about disobeying orders if it came down to doing _the right thing_ to him. It separated him as a warrior from being a soldier, though they enjoyed being soldiers more than they ever did as warriors. Maybe it meant that they didn't feel as dedicated in their cause, though they told themselves they were. But now, they felt committed with today's Revelations.

It gave them hope that their situation may yet take a turn for the better. It also showed them how desperately they held onto that hope. Because without it, they may not have the strength to continue.

Hopefully it won't be in vain, because then nothing will seperate them from the _real b_ _easts._


	32. 32 Trost-Aftermath

**Alright, thank you everydayweaboo for your review, and yeah it hurt when I imagined it. I think it would've been even more tragic than what was originally planned for her in the manga. I know I cried a little thinking about it so I've decided not to. Still trying to decide the name, but leaning towards Mauler for now, possibly going to change it during the Clash arc to the Wyvern Titan. Otherwise to those who know him, it could be a clue as to his ability. Bit of a more mellow but hopefully deep chapter here. As sual drop as many reviews as possible, let us begin.**

Trost-Aftermath

The number of dead and missing was too high for them to handle. People, friends, comrades that they bled, fought and trained with for 3 years all gone in a single day of absolute Hell. Trost was full of soldiers searching for the dead, identifying bodies, and carting them away for a proper ceremony. One of these groups included Reiner, Annie, Bert, James and Jean. They all had grim faces as they continued their morbid task.

" _I'm sorry, im-"_ Annie keeps apologizing to every body, every former comrade, even those she doesn't know the names of or was close to. Reiner tells her quietly, "Apologizing won't make a difference, just mourn their passing. We'll make sure it wasn't in vain. After all that training, I'm not letting it be for nothing."

He too is trying not to see the faces of the dead, but each one stays burned in his mind. Another reminder of the blood on their hands, even if he hadn't taken place in today's attack. He looks to Bert, who is keeping his composure, but just barely. To anyone else it would seem like he's just having a hard time accepting it, but to his fellow warriors, minus James, he's begging for forgiveness from every corpse, every cadaver, every _friend_ that he's killed.

Reiner shakes his head slightly, _'Hell anymore of this and I won't keep it together any better than them. But I have to, for them, for home, for my friends here.'_ He kept his head level for their sakes, knowing that this won't all be in vain. He would try with all his might to pay for his sins by helping these people. But for now, he has to look ahead at the hard times still ahead, all in the name of the greater good.

Jean breaks the silence by asking the group, "Did you hear about Eren? He supposedly being given a tribunal in a few days, and we've been asked to attend since we were all his fellow soldiers."

James ears pick up at hearing this interesting bit of news, he hasn't heard nor seen Eren since his rescue by the scouting legion. Reiner attempts to ease the tension by attempting a joke. "Well if they want to know if he's an alright person, I guess we should keep you out of to he courtroom huh Jean?"

Jean smirks a little, but his eyes show that he's doing some serious thinking in his head. "Maybe, but then again while I don't particularly _like_ Jaeger, he did help save our asses. Can't just ignore that." James chuckles slightly at the antics, and plans on what he will say to the court when, or if he is asked about Eren's _loyalties_.

He knows the trio, himself and possibly Marco will all be on board with defending Eren, but he isn't so sure about Jean and a few others. Sasha and Connie only discovered who he was during Pixis's speech, as did Ymir and Krista. They had no idea what Eren's capable of, but they _do_ know who he was as a friend. Hopefully that would be enough for them to put their faith in him, otherwise James would have to to take the option he deemed a last resort: kidnap Eren and leave. _'Exiled once again_ _by my own choice.'_ he thinks glumly.

He hadn't told Annie or anyone else about his secret plan, and he hopes it doesn't come to it. But he can't let another of his kind, much less one of his friends face the same shit he had to live in fear of. He's probably is already facing judgement by those around him, "guarding" him wherever he is. Only a few days would tell his future, and on that day he would tell Annie his intentions, if he's forced to act.

 _'I just hope she forgives me if I have to, but I did promise it wouldn't be the last time we saw each other. Even if I have to hide in the shadows as a monster, I won't leave her.'_

He shakes his head and continued his task, and for the next few hours the toll began to get too high for their liking, until finally the cleanup was complete. Over 200 _confirmed_ dead, nearly 90 missing, and countless more injured severely from combat. They all watched with somber eyes at the massive funeral pyre they'd been stacking bodies like firewood atop of. Just how many had dreams of a better life after graduation?

' _How many families will be mourning right now? How many brothers or sisters will be missing their siblings? People they looked up to, or protected if they were the first child? Just how many have to die for freedom?'_ James thought to himself, as he watched the flames rise in silence.

He knew Annie had lost Mina, even if they weren't particularly close, the dark haired girl always tried to talk with her. Marco too was feeling the loss from it, she had been quite a good friend to him. Thomas too was a decent guy, even if he was a little pessimistic at times.

 _'It won't be in vain, even if I have to sacrifice my humanity to save them all, I will make these people deaths mean something. As a warrior, I swear upon this'_ James tells himself, unknown to him a similar oath is going through the Titan trio responsible for these deaths. An oath for redemption, of hope, for the greater good. They all stay to wait until the fire burns out. James is one of the last people to leave, Jean being the only other who could take it.

As they go to leave, Jean tells him "What I said the other night was uncalled for, I never thought it would affect us all so soon. We just graduated, and I didn't want to hear Eren talking about his usual death wish. I thought we earned a little peace and quiet, and he has to go off about "change" as you put it. I guess what i'm trying to say, is that I'm sorry James. You were right, _change happened right before our eyes yesterday_."

James looks at him, a small smirk in his face, and tells his fellow cadet "Yeah, I guess I was. Who'd have thought we'd see two Titans fighting for humanity, much less after the big bastard showed up again. But at least this time we were more ready then we were in Shinganshina, the civilians got out, no casualties." At this Jean looks more than relieved as he tells James something he'd almost forgotten.

"Believe me, _I know_. I'm glad to know my mother got out of here, in fact im going to see her after this. I know she was worried to all hell after she heard I was taking part in the retake operation."

James gives him a pat on the shoulder. "Well I hope you two have a good reunion. Last time you saw her was that cook off with Sasha wasn't it?"

"Yeah, what a year ago? Ah that _was crazy,_ I'mglad you held Sasha back after she lost, even after I tried to help her. I never thought I'd see her that way. She was _scary."_

James laughs at the memory, but reassures Jean "Hey you would've been fine. In all honesty you surprised her by acting that nice when you won. Back home in Dauper, she was always best when it came to food and cooking, though I can grill meat better than she can. So it was really the first time she was shown up in her specialty. She was actuallythankful for what you said, even if it didn't seem like it."

Jean thinks about it before replying "Yeah your right. I know I wouldn't have been the nicest person either. Its too bad..nah nevermind." James doesn't know what he meant by that last part, but he thinks he _sees a slight_ _blush_ on his cheeks. _'Really?_ _Who'd have thought that??'_

He chooses not to say anything, except to bid him a good night. "Well it's been long enough, Im glad your mom's safe, go on and see her _Jean-Boy_. It's not polite to keep your mother waiting." Jean rolls his eyes at the nickname he was given by his mother when he was young, but forgives James. As he leaves he turns to tell James one last thing.

"Thanks James, listen..I know this is hard for you, but I'm sure if your parents were here now, they would be proud of you too. I know you don't have much, but your always welcome to join me and my mom if you want."

James smiles but shakes his head, and tells him "Thanks Jean, but I think what I need best right now is just some alone time. Maybe next time I'll take you up on it, _but I could_ go for some time with Annie, if she wants. I know she's struggling, but I want to comfort her if I can. Again thank you Jean. I'll see you tomorrow, or at least at the trial." Jean gives him a nod of respect, and leaves.

With that James turns and walks towards the place where their graduation took place. 'So _many gone..so much pain. So little progress on stopping it all.. I guess this world is a cruel place, but the beautiful part of it is what's worth fighting for. No more, I'll make that change happen myself. Because I'm fighting for Her. For my friends, no, **my family**. My new family that I've become a part of.'_

 _3 days_ will make things easier or harder for him to keep that promise. In three days he'd get a look of what humanity offers for him, or he should say _his kind. Hatred_ or Relief? Will he be cheered or jeered for becoming a monster? Either way he knows he has a plan to deal with it, he's prepared.

' _Worst_ _outcome means I don't have to hide, well at least in **that** way. Just from the rest of the world, not from my friends. Or at least those who will still see me the same way.' _ he thinks to himself.

He'sstill a bit nervous about the outcome, but is ready to be called one, or at least he hopes he's ready. He can almost see the faces of his friends when they learn about what he is. He imagined their individual reactions, those he told will look at him in pity, Eren and Mikasa will probably look at him with recognition from years ago, but how about everyone else?

' _What_ _will they think? It's almost funny, I'm not even on trial and yet my future also rides on what the court decides to do with one of my kind.'_

He sighs deeply, and leaves to go look for Annie. _'I guess we'll see in 3 days, won't we?'_


	33. 33 Trost-Trial

**Alright hopefully you guys enjoyed the last chapter, hope it wasn't too emotional though it was the clean up of Trost. I've decided on James Titan name for now, but it will change when the Clash Arc comes. Next chapter is being written and planned as I post this, can't wait to see your reactions as it will be the start of the Female Titan Arc with a mild moment of joining the scouts. This chapter will be the trial, and depending on length may be two chapters. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

Trost-Trial

James and his fellow soldiers stood in the large courtroom, looking across to those against Eren's defense. James could see it was mainly composed of the Military police, Town merchants with political ties, and finally members of the deluded wall cult. James stared at _them_ with particular venom. He heard the Pastor before he'd entered the courtroom conferring with the members of the merchants guild about Eren being "An unholy abomination".

The mere words made James blood boil, especially since the idiots worshipped _walls, walls made of Titans_. Did they truly know about the origin of their cults icons? His parents told him the walls were built with Titans, but he had never gotten an explanation to how. He knew his armor was strong enough that he could destroy a part of it, like the Armored had back home, but what was the material used if it was made of the beasts? Their bones? Or weaker armor than his?

' _Maybe another time, just keep the plan in your head. You must be ready'_ He thought, and took a moment to look around at Annie, her beautiful face. Then he took count of how many armed soldiers were in the room.

 _8 isn't bad, just get clear of everyone else before I get restrained. Then I can shift without causing too much harm, after all those windows are quite large. I'll jump through them with Eren, change, and get over the wall before they mobilize troops to try and stop me. As if they have a chance in winning.'_ he thinks with little humor.

Shaking his head, he hears the court grow silent as the doors facing the judges seat open. Eren enters, chained while being forced forward by Mps carrying rifles. ' _Of course, chain and irritate the "monster" that saved all of you.'_ He thought silently, disgusted at the treatment. Eren is placed with his shackles behind his back, with a pole to keep him from rising. He turns to look at his defense, seeing the faces of his friends who came to plead his case.

A older man, a judge by name of Darius Zachley enters and takes his seat at the podium. He behind shuflling papers and while adjusting his glasses asks "Shall we begin? Eren Jaeger, you have sworn to give your life in defense of humanity and it's people, is that correct? Understanding that your fate will be decided in this tribunal by the _Supreme Commanding officer of all three military branches? Decided by me?_ "

Eren gulps for a moment, before responding "Yes sir, I have. And I do accept your judgement." Judge Zachley nods and tells him "Good, your cooperation is much appreciated here. Now shall we proceed with the charges?" Eren nods, and James sees everyone around him waiting anxiously to hear the accusations being made here today, knowing they'll mostly be based out of fear of Eren's Titan ability.

"Now while the rumors of your existence have been unable to be contained, the widespread hysteria and civil unrest caused by it has given doubts regarding our militaries power to control this.. ability. Hence the reason for this trial will be to reestablish civil peace, as well as quell rebellious actions that may be inspired or brought on by the events of the Trost invasion. Your case will be pleaded by the military police as plaintiff, to the Scouting Regiment as your defense. We will now hear the opening statements from both sides." With this Zachley looks to the military police to begin first.

"Thank you, My name is Nile Dok. I am the commander of the Military Police, and we move in agreeance that as stated before, there is unrest regarding Cadet Jaeger's ability. We suggest that his ability be studied, his body fully examined and ultimately terminated. He will be made out to the public as a martyr who gave his life for the defense of humanity. With these actions, accusations of not being able to control him will cease, as well as the danger presented by Cadet Jaeger himself." Dok finishes, but before the defense can begin, the pastor begins to speak and points accusingly at Eren.

James and the rest watch in disgust as he goes on "This vermin is an unholy abomination that has defiled the great Wall! There need be no trial when-" But before he can continue Zackley stops him. "Pastor Nicholas, please cease your ramblings. If you refuse, then you will be forced to leave the courtroom. This court will not stand for accusations without a proper response to be made by the defense."

James glares with hate as the wall cultist quiets down, watching Eren with deluded eyes. ' _And this is why I'm glad sometimes that I'm a secret. I know I wouldn't just be sitting there taking all of this, its a god given miracle that Eren's doing so. His anger usually gets the better of him. Maybe Trost really did change him, hopefully for the better.'_

"Thank you Judge Zachley. My name is commander Erwin Smith, of the Scouting Regiment. I propose that we reinstate Cadet Jaeger as a full soldier and use his Titan ability to help reclaim Wall Maria. I believe that with his Titan form that the gates previously destroyed may yet be plugged as they were in Trost." Erwin stops, and it seems as if that's it.

"Is that all?" Zachley asks questioningly. Erwin responds "Yes sir, I believe that with his power that this operation would be highly successful. We can also take into play the possibility of the other Rogue Titan appearing back in Shinganshina yet again. Trost is now the second time that it's appeared with the attack of the Colossal Titans attack, yet it seems to be fighting against it and any other Titans that it comes in contact with."

"An interesting thought. Cadet Jaeger, you yourself were in Shinganshina the day of the Fall. You were one of the witnesses who claim that this Titan fought _against_ it's own kind, the same way it demonstrated in Trost during the invasion?" Zachley asks Eren, and James leans forward a little to hear what Eren has to say.

"Yes sir that's correct. In fact that same Titan saved my mother from rubble that held her down, and escort me and my family to the gate. After that I only heard the fighting from the boats, but I learned from a Garrison solder that it had been fighting Titans at the gate, including the Armored. Had it not come and killed the Titan bearing down on us, I'm afraid that I would've watched my mother and possibly myself die that day sir." Eren answers, and James can hear gratefulness in his voice as he too recalls the day.

"Hmm are there any other witnesses that can testify these events?" Zachley asks, and Eren turns to his defense. James, Armin and Mikasa all step forward. "Yes sir, we are all survivors from the city, and we saw those events take place that day. Eren tells the truth." James answers, and Mikasa steps forward to continue.

"It is indeed the same Titan that appeared alongside Eren in Trost. It helped clear a path to the armory for the cadets, as we were trapped in the city by the low gas tanks we had. As we came up with a plan to take back the gas supply, we could all hear the battle taking place outside. And afterwards in the operation to seal the breach it came to assist in waking Eren up and carrying the boulder." Mikasa finished.

Nile Dok stepped forward to talk, a smirk on his face "Cadet Ackerman, as you claim the other Rogue, which we've decided to classify as the Mauler Titan due to the reports of the sheer savagery of it's attacks, woke and helped Eren in carrying the boulder. Was this _after_ _Cadet Jaeger attacked you and knocked himself out?_ "

You could hear a pin drop in the courtroom, and James could see Eren face fill with horror as he looked at his sister. _'Did he not know he did it? Was he even in control when we fought together in Trost?'_

The whole room watches in anticipation as Mikasa grudgingly states " _Yes"_ , and falls into mutterings that are becoming more and more sided against Eren. She steps forward to continue louder "Yes it is true, but I also want the facts to be known that twice before that Eren saved my life using his Titan power. The first time was in taking back the Armory, where I was pinned by a smaller titan. I was making a last stand when Eren came to protect me and killed it before making his way to the armory with the Mauler Titan.

The second time was when we were being held in a square by a Garrison captain, who ordered to open fire with a cannon aimed at myself, Eren and Armin. Eren transformed and used his titan form to shield us from the attack." Hearing this James steps forward, and finishes for her.

"That is also true Judge Zachley, I witnessed Eren emerge from a partially formed skeleton that encased himself and his friends. The massive amount of damage on it's left arm showed that it indeed had been hit with cannon fire. I was on the rooftops when I saw the form begin to decompose, having heard the firing of the weapon go off and went to investigate." James tells the Judge, who brushes his beard slightly, interested to hear these events.

"Noted, Cadet Jaeger I now have a question for _you_. What do you know of the Mauler Titan?" Eren thinks for a moment, before replying "I'm not sure what you mean sir. I hardly know a thing about it except for it saving my family and fighting alongside it. Other than that I have no idea." His answers are honest, but Zachley presses on slightly, not out of accusation but of curiosity.

"According to several reports I've read made during the debriefing of both operations, it seems that while in Titan form you were somehow able to _communicate_ with the Mauler Titan. Care to elaborate?"

"No sir I, I don't really know how to explain it. While in that form I seemed to be able to understand what he said, but to anyone else it probably sounded like roaring. I only remember asking him if it was the same Titan that fought in my home, to which it responded that it was a ally to humanity. However.."

"Yes?" Zachley listens, and everyone else waits too.

"It stated that it did not wish to be known, and never told me who it was. I'm sorry but that's all I know." Eren finished.

 _'Thank you Eren'_


	34. 34 Trost-Sentence

**Alright, part two of the trial of Eren Jaeger. I did switch some of the dialogue, as well as cut some of it out to put Eren in a better position during it. Im very satisfied with how season 2 ended and am overjoyed that season 3 is confirmed for next year!! Next chapter will be the official start of the Female Titan Arc. Now there will be HEAVY divergance from what was shown on both the anime and manga, so be prepared for quite a different perspective here. As usual drop a review, tell me your thoughts. Let us begin.**

Trost-Sentence

 _'Thank you Eren'._ James thought as the rest of the court processed these words. Nile was the first to speak up, and it wasn't in Eren's favor. "You claim you have no idea as to the Mauler Titans identity, meaning that we have no possible way to believe that it is indeed an ally other than your word."

James steps forward and looks to Zachley "May I?" Zachley nods his assent and James tells Nile and the rest of the court what they _need to hear_. "We have no reason to believe otherwise Commander Dok. All evidence so far involving said Titan has shown nothing but positive results on our side. Fighting and escorting humans outside of both cities, as well as holding the Armored Titan at bay long enough for the evactuation in Shinganshina to be complete." But as James says the last part, it comes out sounding pained.

 _'Not everyone James. You know you got **almost** everyone out. Except Her.'_

He stops to take a deep breath, to keep it in, and he perseveres. "Also it was seen by nearly every cadet in Trost including myself that it has shown no ill will towards humans. It fought alongside Eren to ensure the area surrounding the Armory was clear for exfilliation. And as stated before it helped in the sealing of the breach. Why more evidence do you need to be convinced that it is indeed an ally?"

 _'That I'm an ally? What will it take?'_ he asks himself only. Dok stays silent, but one of the Town merchants speaks up, although there is no hostility in his voice. It seems as if he's more cautious about hearing _all_ the details before choosing his side.

"And what of this titan, true it has provided help, but it doesn't seem reliable should the circumstances need it. How would we even call it? Him or whatever it is if we needed him?" He asks, and James has a hard time staying silent to think of an answer. Reiner steps forward to look at the judge for approval, which he gets.

"My name is Reiner Braun, and as one of the cadets who was personally there when the entire operation took place, as well as one of those who were stuck in the city, I can assure you that this Mauler Titan is no threat to humans. I've seen it go out of it's way to protect them, some of them being my friends who stand here today. More are witnesses who have merely watched from afar, but they can tell you the same thing. I believe that if we were to keep Eren alive, that we could gain it's cooperation and trust, possibly enough for it to reveal itself to us."

"So Mr Braun, what your saying is to gain a Titans trust, by keeping cadet Jaeger alive, as Commander Smith stated before and use it to help retake Wall Maria?" Zachley asks, and Reiner replies "Yes sir, that is what I believe would be best. As well as Eren being a fellow soldier and comrade, I know that he would be more than willing to help take back the Wall and in turn, his home. With his ability I think it would be successful even if the Mauler Titan did not appear. Eren placing the boulder himself gives me hope that he could do it alone if need be."

"A bold statement Mr Braun, but one that I am finding more and more promising. Are there any objections to such a plan?" looking to the military police.

"Our only concern is how would cadet Jaeger be controlled if need be? What if he were to lose control?" James can't give an answer, but looks to Commander Smith for his reaction. None is given, however the small Captain that James remembered saved Eren walk forward. He goes directly to Eren, and without warning, begins to brutally kick and beat him. The action took everyone by surprise, and James mirrored Mikasa as he stepped forward.

He was stopped by Reiner and Annie, who were watching the beating take place with cringed expressions. He turns to see Mikasa being held by Armin, who whispers loud enough for him to hear " _Wait, look_ ". James sees the savage beating continue, but it's not only shocking the defense. He can see the stunned expressions if the military police and wall cultists, as well as Nile Dok.

 _'How can they expect me to just sit here and watch this?!?! These are the people my parents want me to **Protect?!?** How can they expect me to defend those who would treat me like a chained beast if that were me there?! Oh to hell with this! Why should i-'_ But James internal rant stops when he sees Nile tell the Captain to stop.

"Levi please, stop. That's enough!"

This Levi stops to hold Eren's bloody face up for his inspection, and replies with a monotone voice, dead of emotion.

"Why are you so concerned? After all you're the ones who want to disect him aren't you? Now I personally believe that pain is quite a effective teacher, and as you can see I'm very proficient in giving it. You claim to see a danger in not being able to control him, but with all his power he's done nothing to stop his beating."

At this James and Mikasa both give low growls that go unheard except to those closest to them. James watches with narrowed eyes as the captain goes to continue. He knows if this gets any worse he _will step in_ , and believes Mikasa will as well. He waits and listens _carefully_ for the Captains next words.

"I can handle him like any other Titan if he were to change, but as he sits here in his own blood he's even more vulnerable to attack. Now I suggest that if he were to be reinstated as a scout, to assign him to my own hand picked squad. There he would be under strict supervision by me and my group, where he would have no chance to shift unless given permission, by me or Another section leader. Otherwise he will be declared traitorous and executed on the spot. Does that seem like a fair deal to you?"

The Mps all stay silent, and even the cultists say nothing. James calms a little, understanding the Gambit that is being played. But he's still angry that it might take this to trust Eren, and in extension himself. _'Take it. Take the deal you disgusting selfish beasts. He's proven he's more than willing and capable to take care of him, what more do you need?!_ _Let Eren live dammit! Otherwise I have to leave as well! Decide!!'_

James sees Commander Nile grudgingly say "We have no doubt in your ability to handle him. We...will allow custody to be given to the Scout Regiment, should Judge Zachley approve it." and looks to said Judge. Zachley looks almost uninteresred, but still disgusted a little from the Captains actions. He looks as if he's made up his mind, time for the verdict _._

 _'Both of ours'_ James thinks, resigned to whatever happens nextHe takes one last look at Annie, and she can see the action ready in his eyes. Her eyes widen a little, perhaps predicting what he may do, but she stays silent. Instead she grasps his hand tight for a moment, and he mouths silently to her " _Remember my promise."_

" _Remember mine"_ she replies.

Zachley begins to speak, and James takes a deep breath. "The evidence presented during this tribunal indicates that the circumstances have changed quite drastically. No doubt the outcome of trial on either side will still be met by general unease from the public about the whole situation. But it my decision that Eren Jaeger be reinstated a full member of the Scout Regiment. Captain Levi's...methods were also taken into consideration, and he is more than capable of performing the task, as a failsafe. Eren's Titan ability has in my eyes, proven that he is worth keeping alive, as well as the reports regarding his nature given to me by Instructor Keith Shadis detailing his uptmost loyalty and tenacity to fight for the betterment of humanity. Therefore Cadet Jaeger will not be executed. These preceedings are closed."

Sighs of relief echo through the defense team. James sees Mikasa relax visibly, though she still glares at Captain Levi. James looks at the man with disgust, but understands that his intervention may have played a large part in Eren's verdict. It doesn't make it any more right in James eyes, and he too glares at the short man.

He turns and gives Annie a hug as the court begins to empty, and sees Reiner and Bertoldt giving him looks of understanding. Or so they think, as they leave the room and Annie mutters only loud enough for them " _That could've turned out alot worse if he were sentenced to die, James was ready to_ _**intervene**."_

Reiner and Bert both look at James with wide eyes, and he stares back without saying a word. He hopes they'll understand when he tells them, maybe after dinner. They knew he wasn't just going to let it happen, least of all to his friend and fellow titan shifter.

Three days passed, and the cadets from Trost stood now before an ampihitheater, where Commander Erwin had just finished giving an honest yet demoralizing speech to the fresh soldiers to join. Many turned to leave, including Annie, but James forgave her for it. In truth he was glad that she would be far in the interior, nice and safe. She gave him one last look, and he gave her a small smile and nod to let her know it was fine.

James stood alongside the few who had chosen to stay and join anyways. They comprised of the top 10, minus Annie, and James was surprised that Jean and Marco stayed. He knew they were the two who had been shooting for the Mps the most, but maybe Trost changed their perspectives. He faced forward noting Bert and Reiner to his right, while Connie, Sasha,Ymir and Krista stood at his left. Armin and Mikasa stood a few feet ahead. He didn't want Sasha or any of them truthfully to join up, but it's not like he could stop them.

It put more pressure on him to protect his friends on the Expedition to Shinganshina. He was already dreading returning home, afraid that he'd break down if he saw _their_ _graves_. He fears someone smart, like Armin, would suspect _what he was, who he was._ And if that came to be, his secret would be out for them all to know.

He wonders if they will still call him friend, or monster. He'd find out in a month, when the mission began.

 _'Is a month long enough to ready myself?'_


	35. 35 57th Expedition- Woman without skin

**Alright, here it is. After having no internet for 3 days, I finally get to post an update. The much anticipated for both me writing it and you reading it: The Female Titan Arc!! Thank you EverydayWeeaboo for the review! Heavy divergance to what actually happened in the manga, but will have some of it's most important moments along with a few new ones that change things quite a bit, but hopefully still entertaining. This Arc will definitely be about 12 chapters, from the start of the mission to the aftermath into Stohess Arc. Though there will be major changes during the forest of giant trees part. As usual drop a review, and tell me how your liking it. Let us begin.**

57th Expedition- Woman without skin

Annie stood at the top of Wall Rose, looking out over the plains. For nearly a full month since she joined the Mps, Reiner and Bertoldt had snuck information to her. The route being used, positioning of where they were assigned, and where James and Eren would be located. While Eren would be hard to get, most likely being around that captain and his squad, James was another problem that she would have to face herself.

His ability and will to use it on the mission could spell disaster for them. He was already a _very proficient fighter_ in his human form, but his Titan also gave him deadly _animalistic_ advantages. From the sharp teeth to scaly armor, he would be more than a match for her. She would also have to deal with his more _primal_ side that seemed to channel most in his Titan form. The only thing she really has going for her was her crystallizing ability, which may be strong enough to resist or break his armor. She also has her fighting skill, but that has it's drawbacks as well.

If she wasn't careful enough when or _if_ _it came to them fighting_ , James might recognize her style and confront her in anger. He'd told her his secret but yet she kept hers, which would _definitely_ piss him off. She didn't want to face his angry Titan form, she saw what he would do to save her, his friends. Him angry at her for _lying about herself_ would be _scary_ indeed. If she's careful enough, maybe she can convince him to come along with her. Reiner and Bert had agreed with her after Trost that he was somewhat on the fence about his "mission".

From the incident with that Garrison captain to their talk before the invasion, and the entire trial, it seemed James will to protect the humans of the walls may have been crumbling. It wasn't something she'd planned or wanted, but it would make it easier for her to bring them home. Perhaps Eren too had his loyalties shaken by that beating, but she knew he would _always_ want to kill the Titans. How he did it, whether _with humanity_ or _with his own kind_ , remained to be seen.

She cleared her head and jumped off the wall, slicing her finger in the ring her father gave her. She felt the moment of lightning and the 14 meter creature that would be known as the Female Titan by the end of the day stood, her form feeling fresh after not being used for so long. James probably felt this way when he saved her back in Trost, since he most likely hadn't transformed since they joined 3 years ago.

 _'Focus, get_ _him and Eren out of here. They'll be safer away from here, and we can finally go home'_

Annie began to run towards the forest of giant trees that curved near the right flank to end momentarily before picking back up in the middle of where the formation would head. She could wait there to snatch James, but would still have to go near the middle to see if that's where Eren was. Hopefully there weren't too many Titans nearby, she didn't have the patience nor time to deal with them to complete her mission.

As she neared the trees she saw the expedition had begun, seeing the green smoke signals fired by the Scouts flare guns. Another thing she noticed was the odd stench that was pungent in this area, that stood out from the usual Titan smell. _'What is this smell, its so.. outdoorsy, like some sort of animal. James transforming so early? No, I would've seen the lightning, right? Then what else could it be?_ ' she asks herself.

Her answer was a cluster of maybe 16 Titans ranging from 6 to 10 meters emerging from the trees, as she neared them before stopping. She saw that something larger loomed in the shadows. She tried to get a better look at whatever it was, but instead it stepped out to _look at_ _her_. She froze, seeing the hair on it's tall form, the small head, and the long arms that nearly reached it's feet. _'No, a haired giant!? **Here**?!'_

It got even worse when the haired giant she faced _spoke_ , sending chills down both her human and titan spine as she realized what she looked at. The very reason she was sent to the walls at all, the killer of her people and humans alike.

 _The Beast Titan had appeared._

"Hmm my aren't _you an odd one._ An exceptional form you have, if I do say so myself. But why are you so far from your village? Something of interest in that group of humans leaving the safety of their little walls? Perhaps another like _yourself_? I remember one that I saw years ago being so close to them, and he too looked intriguing, with his curling hair."

At these words Annie's eyes widen with recognition, _'Is he..talking about James?'_ she thinks, not hearing the rest of her enemies little talk. But she snaps back to hear the last bit.

"...quite an animal, even for my liking. I thought he would've died with how many of my _pets_ I left him to. Ah well, today I shall visit them as I go further in. She's all yours, this one no longer interests me." and he turned to walk further into the darkness made by the giant trees. Annie watches as the group of Titans begin to move slowly at first, before charging her in an all-out sprint.

 _'They have to be warned, stopped if need be. I need to get him and the rest out of here!'_ She turns and starts to jog, outrunning her pursuers, but they follow her no matter how far she is. She begins to see the smoke signals nearing her, showing that she is by the right flank. Wirh her speed right now, she only has a few moments before the Titans following her reach the scouts formation.

She doesn't mean to do it, but she needs to shake the group chasing her. The scouts in this section were more experienced than her comrades in the 104th, if the information provided by Reiner and Bertoldt was accurate. Hopefully the group would be busy taking the Titans down than to try and follow her, and she could slip in and out before they turn their attention to her. After all a 14 meter skinless female titan would tend to draw attention from anyone, especially the commanders of this expedition.

She sees the smoke begin to change colors, and she bursts through the trees to see a group of maybe 18 experienced scouts look at her in shock. She runs through and away from their formation, which confuses them momentarily, before a group of Titans emerges and charges at them. They stop and begin to feast, as the scouts call orders to repel against their attackers.

 _'Forgive me, it's all for the greater good. Your sacrifices won't be in vain. Just please stay out of my way'_ Annie thinks as she move further away from the battle. She sees black smoke ahead of her, meaning that the group she just left had deciamated the scouts she went past.

As she gains closer to the middle formation behind the command group, she sees an abnormal get taken down by a pair of veterans. Further ahead she sees a lone spotter, the signal flare already fired into the air. As she nears the pair she ignores them and continues forward, before feeling a hook pierce her shoulder. She can hear the gas burst and the scouts war cry as he nears her head.

She remembers something she asked James, after the cleanup of Trost. She'd asked him if He'd ever killed a human before as a titan. He'd shaken his head, but replied with a smirk on his face as he explained

" _No, it goes against why I was raised, but I certainly didn't take anyone that chose to mess with me with a grain of salt. Since I traveled in my form for so long, I was seen sometimes. I tried to ignore them, and merely shook off their attempts at chasing me. So I gave them a chance, leave me be or else. If they insisted on attacking, then_ _they would get their fight._

 _I never got to that point, because they got the message loud and clear as I showed that I held their life in my hands, but it has crossed my mind a few times. But now, Im not sure I would be so lenient if it happened again. I have to defend myself from everything, even the people I'm charged with saving, except you. It's quite simple: Leave me be, and I won't fight you. Insist on it, and face my wrath. The choice is theirs."_

 _Flashback end_

She catches the scout in her hand and rolls him to the ground, before doing the same to his partner. They recover and try again to strike at her nape, and she dodges their attack. 'One _more chance, then I have to act.'_ She thinks to herself, ready to do what she must for the greater good. The scouts aim again and this time, she snaps back. Grabbing the cable, she flings the first hard at the ground, killing him instantly.

No pain but for a second, she does the same to his partner who tries to avenge his friend. She grabs him and crushes him quickly, not wanting to drag his death out. She sees the lone spotter up ahead fire a flare indicating an abnormal, and goes to see who it is. The spotter turns and flees with their horse, as well as the other one they held the reins of. They don't try to attack her, merely fleeing as she rushes up to them. She's grateful for it, it means one less person she might be forced to kill.

She thinks she saw a flash of blonde, and thinks perhaps it's Krista. She hopes it isn't, knowing Reiner would be furious if his love interest was accidently crushed by her. As she looks down at the spotter, she sidesteps. The spotter is thrown as her foot nearly hits them, rolling for a moment before stopping. She crouches and reached for their hood, curious to see who it is. _'So who's the smart one?'_

As she pulls it back, she's surprised to see the other small blonde of the 104, Armin. She watches him for a moment, her mouth twitching upwards a bit, and recalls the last time she saw him. He looks up, terrified, and watched as she left him alone.

 _flashback start_

 _"Hey Annie deep down, you actually a good person. Aren't you? That's why you say_ those things."

"T-thank you, but..I'm just trying to survive."

 _Flashback end_

 _'You get to live.'_


	36. 36 57th Expedition-Familiar?

**Alright next part of the Female Titan Arc. Hope you guys enjoyed the twist I used for how the Titans attack the scouts right flank. EverydayWeeaboo, happy to hear from you. More action filled chapter, hopefully you'll enjoy this one. As usual drop a review, tell me your thought. Let us Begin**

57 Expedition- Familiar?

Annie ran further towards the middle column, away from her encounter with Armin, Jean and Reiner. They'd kept their hoods up to hide their faces, and she'd knocked them away to see who they were. She hadn't seen where Eren was located, but the information Reiner had carved into her hand when he "attacked" her pointed further ahead. But the other target of interest, _for her_ , was James. She was so close, she couldn't pass up the chance to see him.

He would be tricky for her to find, especially if he had already snuck away to shift. He could be anywhere in the formation, since he had been assigned near the rear of the entire group. Would she have seen the lightning, or any flares to indicate that he was spotted? She hoped the answer was yes, because so far she hadn't spotted him nor anyone else. She hopes he's alright, but fears of what his reaction will be to seeing her.

She gets the feeling she's being pursued again, and looks back to see a handful of 6 scouts following her. Annie runs to a small ravaged village long abandoned when Wall Maria fell. The buildings would give them a chance to fight her, but also a chance for her to see if James was among them. Little did she know, that she would be getting her wish.

James watched as the 14 meter being dubbed the Female Titan, ran towards a set of village ruins. He was deep in thought, analyzing this new variant.

' _Definitely_ _a shifter, but I've never seen one so fit and fast or...curvy. Why the hell did I think that? Nevermind, I have to see why it's here. I don't believe it's an enemy, I mean its_ _ignoring us right now. It clearly knows we're following it yet hasn't tried anything on us. But the right flank reported heavy losses, so then why are we still here? Why did they report that it attacked them? Did they strike her first pethaps?'_ he thought to himself. He looks to see the nameless group he was assigned preparing to deal with her.

 _'What do I do? If I shift and it's an ally, im compromised. If it's an enemy then I can protect the rest of the scouts, my friends from that one. What should I do??'_ He thinks, struggling to come up with the best solution for this scenario. _'Fuck it, I'm screwed either way. I'm gonna see who it is._ ' He begins to slow down the pulling on his horse's reigns. The rest of the group are too busy to notice, as they employ their gear onto the cluster of ruined buildings and homes.

He too jumps off and launches high up before biting down to transform. There is a burst of lightning this time, and he lands on the ground on all fours. The group he's with frantically calls out to where he once was, and begin firing off orders to disperse and observe. James sees that the Female has slowed down a little and watches him too. He approaches quickly, nearing her with each stride. As he goes to call out at her, he hears the group leader call out.

"Take them both out! Draekon is missing because of that one, and the Female took down the right wing! Employ manuever gear and strike the napes!!" James continues to pursue the Female Titan as she too hears the orders and jogs ahead. He hears the bursts of gas near his nape, but his scaly plates protect him, as does his mane of dredlocks. The scouts nonetheless try to strike it, watching in disbelief as their blades shatter on contact. He pushes forward with a huff and look of disapproval at them, which forces them to regroup.

 _'Get out of my way, I'm not harming anyone.'_ he thinks, annoyed.

He sees them disperse again, using the buildings to hide from his view. _'Hopefully they wise up and see I'm not hostile. Try again and I might not be so nice.'_ The Female is still running ahead, and he sees that 1 of the scouts got back on his horse to get ahead of her. He seems to be aiming a flare gun at her, which puzzles him. _'What the hell is that gonna do except piss her off?'_

He runs harder, almost within leaping distance, before he sees the flare get shot at her face. She ducks to the side, and he hears a yell to attack, seeing the other hidden scouts try to jump him and her at the same time. He barely flinches, but feels one blade cut into a space between the plates on his right shoulder. He growls loudly and turns to see the scout back off before trying again. James snags him out of the air and holds him to his face, before another appears to slice at his face.

Their successful as he feels that blade go deep under his left eye, his right seeing the Female turn to him from where she stood defending herself. James lets go of the scout in his hand before grabbing the one who cut him roughly out of the air. He holds her in front of his face and snarls loudly in her face, and sees her teammates launch and attack on both of them again. He drops her and protects his eyes, and grabs the cable he felt sink into his back.

 _'I gave you a chance, now it's my turn!'_ He hisses, jumping straight into the air and cracks the cord like a whip.

"It jumped?!" he hears, and sees his handiwork splatter across the ground. The other scout flies away in terror, and James lets him go. _'Smart move'_ The Female Titan begins to approach him while she deals with her attackers. He sees one aim and move for her nape before she turns to launch a high kick at the unlucky fool. The other scouts watch in horror as the body gets thrown, and for some reason odd James gets a whirl of deja Vu.

 _'Why did I feel that? Why did that move look..familiar?'_ but his thoughts are interrupted as he sees another try to slash her ankle before getting stomped into a building. He doesn't feel pity, since she _did_ try ignoring them like he did. It's their fault for choosing to piss off what can kill you. He's too caught up in watching her that he almost doesn't notice the last pair try one last attempt to blind him.

He again grabs a cable, before glaring at the scout in his right hand. He sees him try to cut into his finger, so James begins twirling the line hard until the man's body snaps backwards. He takes only a small sense of pleasure in it, but not out of sadism. But more satisfied in defending himself in a just way, that's why he's able to do it so easily. He gave them chances, and they chose to ignore them with their stupidity. He has a feeling the Female Titan may be a similar case, since she too ignored them until they tried to kill her.

He notices the last scout go to cut his face but sees her get pulled back, The Female Titan glaring at the girl in her hands. She snarls at her before crushing her like a bug, before dropping the bloody mess to her feet. James now has no distractions from talking to her, and nor does she to him. They stare at each other, unspeaking and James takes in her features.

She has blonde hair that reaches to her shoulders, surrounding her pale face. The little bit on skin on her body only covers her face, and is torn upwards in a sort of smile near her cheeks. But it seems to be a false smile, as the mouth shows that she is what, _anxious?_ She has a prominent nose, and a pair of icy blue irises that eye him intently. He sees the rest of her form is mostly exposed muscle and tendons, from the stomach muscles to her breasts which seemed to lack skin as well. ' _Shes actually attractive in a weird, primal way.'_ In other words, he's never seen such a Titan, but something seems _familiar_ about her. He can't quite put his finger on it, so he decides to speak first.

Giving a low but neutral shriek, he asks a question to the unknown shifter. " _I take it your the one who came from the right wing, am I right?_ " He waits for a response, but she only nods her head warily, out of caution. He feels a moment of disappointment, wondering what her voice sounded like. He calls out again, " _Can you speak? Or unable to?"_

He sees her debate internally for moment, before she gives a low rasp. " _I can speak"_

 _'Finally, I'm getting somewhere.'_ He speaks again with the question he wants to know most. " _Who are you?"_

Her eyes widen, and she shakes her head a little, seemingly uncomfortable. He thought for a moment about whether he should ask again, or try a different question. He settled on his choice. " _Are you an enemy or ally to humans? Or just indifferent to them?"_

She tilts her head slightly in thought, before rasping to him " _Indifferent, I guess. I don't want to harm them, but won't sit by if they attack me. I give them a chance, after that it's their fate that they decide, not me._ _Leave me be or else is how I see it. What about you?"_ She asks, and James feels that tingle of familiarity. He goes to answer, his brain not quite putting it together.

 _'Why do I feel that I know her? She seems so familiar, but I've never seen her before..Wait.. **No**..It can't be.'_ His slit eyes widen, and she sees the change on his face.

She feels afraid of facing him, and turns to run. He grabs her arm hard, pulling her to him and gets right in her face. This time he snarls angrily " _Annie..is that **You**?"_

He takes the widening of her eyes and the more frantic way she tries to pull as a yes. He goes to grab her shoulder when she twists herself out of his clawed hands. She gives a good swipe while hardening her shin to take his legs out and sprints.

Both legs get swept out from under him, but only the one that was hit first breaks near the ankle. It's not much, but it'll give her a headstart as she heads towards Eren. Behind her his angered roars call out to her, and she feels scared of _him_ , for the first time ever.

 _"ANNIE, DONT RUN DAMMIT!! YOU OWE ME AN EXPLANATION!!_ "

She hears his voice getting angrier, the same way it did that day in the odds when they met the wolves. She hears him try rising but falls because of his leg, and angrily continues to roar after her. She looks back, and sees the hurt, disbelief and anger all present on his face, in his slit eyes. Her eyes give him a silent apology that he sees, but his anger at her secret is too much.

She's already out of sight when his leg finally is repaired, _'Damn she's fast!'_ He rises and has a feeling he knows where she's headed, and goes after her with all he's got. As he runs, a new feeling of cold fills him.

He wants answers.

And whoever gets in his way ' _isn't getting mercy'_.


	37. 37 57th Expedition-Ambush

**Alright, another action filled chapter for you readers. Nightwish435 thank you for the reviews, glad to see you enjoying it so far. Next chapter will be quite intense and _personal_ between our Titan lovers. For this chapter, the whole forest chase and capture will be the main chunk of it. Hopefully I write the perspectives good enough. I recommend using the music from each scene like it was in the anime, in this case, the Female Titan theme. As usual, drop a review and tell me your thoughts. Let us begin.**

57th Expedition-Ambush

"Black flares?" Eren exclaims, surprised that their so close where he rides with his "escort" team. His teammates look anxiously at the forest to the right, before turning directly behind them.

"It's whatever's been chasing us from the right flank. Dammit, with these trees we won't see it till it's close!" Eld Jin yells out.

"Draw your blades, Elds right. We won't see it till it's right on top of us, _Get ready"_ Captain Levi calls out it his team, as he narrows his eyes. Whatever it is was close, and from the noise coming from the right side, and _pissed._ The air thickens with anticipation as everyone held their breathe. A lone back up spotter floated high above backwards through the air, looking at something farther back in the shadows.

And in the blink of an eye, _they_ appeared.

A 14 meter _Female_ Titan appeared and ran past the scout, who watched in shock as he was completely ignored. He turned to see _another_ Titan, this one 17 meters glaring past him as it sprinted forward. The scout tried to strike it's face but before he got close, a massive clawed hand swatted him as if he were a fly on a wall. The act and sudden appearance shocked the team, Eren the most since the second Titan... _was the Mauler Titan._

 _The same one that saved his mother, that fought the Armored, that fought for humans, helped take back Trost, that lifted the boulder with him..Why did it kill that man?!_

Eren's thoughts were in pure overdrive as he heard the captain call out to them "Move it!". He saw the Female run faster to him and reach a hand out, before missing and slowing for a moment. He saw the _fear_ in it's eyes as the Mauler titan gained on her. While Eren knew nothing about the female form, except it was most likely the one that attacked the right wing, he knew more about the Mauler. He'd fought alongside him in Trost, he'd seen him fight to protect humans, his friends.

 _'It said that it fights to protect people, that it's an ally to humanity.'_ he thought in panicked confusion. He remembered it's face when he first approached it in his Titan form, shortly after his first transformation. It had seemed friendly, determined...but not hostile.

But all he could see know was pure anger on it's features, the eyes that were already slitted where barely visible from the rage in them. The curling snake-like hair flowed out behind it as it charged forward, snarling at the Female titan, who looked to be running from him. While he had no sympathy for a killer of humans, he felt the fear it must've been facing as it ran _at him_ and _away from the Mauler._

"Captain, your orders?" Petra pleaded insistently, while Eren saw a pair of scouts emerge from behind the twin beasts. But Levi stays silent as he watches the pair prepare to attack the Titan duo.

"Reinforcements from the rear guard!" Petra calls out to him.

One of the scouts aimed for the female but missed, and she seemed to pay him no attention. In fact, for some odd reason to Eren, _she looked afraid_ _for him_. The same scout tried instead to use his momentum to strike at the Mauler, who ducked sideways before snagging his cable. Eren watched with Petra in horror as the scout was shoulder rammed into a tree, and his comrade tried to avenge him. He watched as the Mauler sent a punch straight at the soldier, who splattered into a bloody mess on it's knuckles before being discarded to the ground.

Petra's voice grew more distressed as she called out again to Levi "Captain!! Your orders?!" but he still gave no reaction. Instead he calmly held up and cocked a flare gun, which he fired after telling them to cover their ears. They obeyed, but the high ringing sound made by the accoustic round rung loud in all of their ears. The Titan pair pursuing them gave no indication of change, but the Female seemed to be accelerating towards Eren.

 _'Why is it looking at me like that? I'm not going to go with it, so why does it look like it's pleading with me?'_ Eren thinks as he locks eyes with the 14 meter monster reaching for him. Hers were wide, as if trying to convey a message. A loud shriek from the Mauler brings her attention back to him, and she desperately tries to grab Eren again, missing. They start to see a small clearing in between the trees, and suddenly the world lights up with the firing of dozens of hooks and speared lines.

Eren looks back to see the Female and Mauler Titan separated by a gap, but both struggling to escape the trap that seemed to have been laid for _two Titans,_ not just her. _'Did they intend to capture the Mauler Titan all along? Or was it a last minute change?_ He can't say for sure as he sees the Mauler angrily try to rip at it's restraints.

James is in a world of anger and disbelief, how did he fall into a trap so easily? _'How the hell are they even holding me?! My armor should've blocked almost all of the lines..wait'_ and he sees that the lines holding Annie are _different from his own_. Where hers are just speared cables that pierced her skin from all directions, his were _made to wrap around him and his armor._ His mind comes to a furious conclusion.

' _They_ _planned this, they made this to capture me...they never trusted me in the first place, they did all this to get me! After all I've done, this is what they do?!'_

He screeches in hate as he begins to pull with all his might, and tries to twist his body. The restraints hold, but the awkward position in which they are being pulled begins to wear them down. All this time he sees Annie watching him with fearful eyes, seeing him rage like this must be terrifying to be close to.

Annie. ' _Annie_ '

The thought of her, his girlfriend who he cherished above all else, whom he protected, fought with and trusted for 3 long years, keeping a secret that could've brought them even closer from him made him even more angry. He isn't even angry that she was a Titan, in a way he was _happy_ that they could be _equals_. That he wasn't a monster in her eyes, and she wasn't one in his even now.

He _was angry_ that she kept it from him _after he revealed his secret_ to save her. He felt like a monster in hiding when he was around her before, granted one that would protect her no matter what. But still he felt unecassary guilt, _no_ , _fear._

 _Fear of what she would think if he came clean about what he was._ _Fear of being seen as a monster by the only girl he loves._ He'd been overjoyed to see her loving reaction during Trost, but back then she decided to keep hers secret from him.

That combined with the betrayel he faced from the people he was supposed to protect, that he joined ranks with, took a large toll on his emotions, and his mind.

 _'Was everything a lie? Is..has my whole mission, my entire upbringing..all been because of delusion? Mother told me they would hate me no matter what I do, because they **fear** me._

 _I tried to be an ally to them, hiding among them, protecting them in Trost, after my own home fell. But all I've gotten is criticism, hatred, fear, ignorance._ _She was right, she knew it would happen. Is that why she was sorry, for raising me to do something she knew I would only feel pain doing?_

 _Yes she was right...but she was also wrong. They were **Both** wrong, like the day I was told my mission, they expected me to fufill and understand it then._

 _But now I understand it even more...and I **still** don't want it. So why?_

 _Why should I fight for **them**? Because I **look** like them, **act** like them? Has it all been in vain?_

 _'Betrayal, accusers, liar, monster, **humans**.. They don't **deserve** my help, why should I risk my life for SUCH AN UNGRATEFUL RACE OF BEINGS?!!!?_ NO MORE!! I SERVE ONLY MYSELF AND THOSE _I_ DEEM WORTH SAVING!!'

James pulls harder, his body twisting and stretching the cables binding him. He hears the soldiers begin to get ansty, as finally a section of cables is pulled free, releasing his rights arm. He quickly uses his claws to tear and slice at the cables on his other arm, freeing it. He snarls, slashing at his legs and hears the scouts order to attack while he's distracted. He gives a blood curling shriek as he frees himself fully, before roaring loudly at his former captors.

" _BRING IT!! THE LITTLE TRAP YOU MADE FOR ME FAILED! COME AND FACE THE BEAST!!!"_

Annie watches him, her eyes widening at the sight before her. James is no longer restrained, and his bloodlust has apparently shifted from her to the scouts who trapped him. She watches as a dozen fly towards him, blades drawn, and he begins his attack. Grabbing as many cables as he can, he begins to spin his body as if some mocking dance. The effect of the move snaps many of the soldiers backs and slams others into the nearby trees. He also lets a few go and they rocket towards the ground or trees as well.

The area that was once contained the pissed shifter is now a bloody mess of torn cables and dead scouts. Commander Erwin high above the chaos orders to retreat, not wanting to waste any more soldiers. The Mauler seems to be calming down as he orders this, no longer looking at them. Instead it's attention has shifted to the female form, who struggles under it's predatory gaze. It begins to walk towards her, and Erwin is about to order a counter measure, when section leader Hange stops him.

"Wait! We don't know anything about the female form, aside from it leading those Titans to the right wing. Our new enemy seems to recognize her, see how she's trying to avoid looking at him?" And Erwin indeed sees that the Female averts her eyes as the Mauler stands about 5 meters from her face.

"We saw how it was chasing her back there, it looked ready to tear her apart. But now it seems more _complacent_ than anything. We should consider that he followed her the same way the other Titan swarm did. I recommend we observe while we can, we might learn something that can help determine who they are."

The remaining scouts wait for their orders, looking to Erwin. Finally he orders "We'll observe for now, but remain on guard." And so they watched.


	38. 38 57th Expedition-Confrontation

**Alright! EverydayWeaboo yeah it was kinda brutal, but quite toned down from what I had planned originally. I kept picturing it like the Indominus Rex capture attempt from Jurassic World, with him even crushing some of the scouts with his hands and teeth at one point. I decided not to, but couldn't resist having James going full predator mode against the people he's angry at, for a rightful reason. I've posted a new story, canon focused on ErenxAnnie after (or before?) chapter 94 called Awakening. Also the moment is finally here! James confronting Annie!! Heavy divergance from how it happened in the story, since there will be a few major deaths averted. Don't worry, they won't be forgotten, but will reappear later on in the story, just like Marco will. As usual drop a review and tell me your thoughts. Let us begin**

57th Expedition-Confrontation.

James stood close to her face, the remaining scouts had wised up after they saw what he was capable of. _'Good, means less blood on my hands. Not that it really means anything anymore. To them I really am a monster, but surprisingly...it doesn't feel so bad. But I only did this in self defense, that's what separates me from the Titans.'_

He observes how Annie is bound, her hands still stuck they way they'd been harpooned, protecting her nape. It meant that with all the lines they sunk in her, she couldn't move away from him. The best she could do was try and avert her gaze, but she was still able to see him out of the corners of her eyes. He seemed to be calming down, but he still eyed her with hurt and a light bit of anger. She stays silent, and he begins first.

" _Annie I know it's you. There's no sense in trying to avoid it, you knew it would happen. Just talk to me, please Look at me. Look. I SAID LOOK AT ME!"_ he roars the last part as he grabs her face in his clawed hand.

Around him the scouts were watching with anxious glances between the Titan pair andm to section leader Hange. She seems to be on the brink of pure bliss, watching actual _communication between Titans._ Sure she was still angry and horrified at the gruesome way in which so many were killed in the blink of an eye, but the scientist part that nearly dominated her mind watched with pure focus on the scene before her.

Annie's eyes were now on him, having heard his angered roar when he grabbed her face. Now though she could see he'd visibly calmed since the reveal in the village, to his bloody spiral just a few moments ago. She waited for him to speak again, and listened to every word.

" _Annie, listen to me. I'm not mad at you for being a Titan."_ Her eyes widen, not believing her ears. He continues and she listens more.

" _I'm only mad that you never told me, especially after I shifted to save you. I'm hurt Annie, I thought we told each other everything."_ Her eyes look down in shame, but she responds to him in a low moaning rasp.

" _I thought we did too. I know what I did was wrong, but you hid what you were the whole time too. I had to figure it out on my own during training, otherwise I'm not sure you would've told me."_ His reaction isn't calm as he gets right in her face and snarls.

" _I did it so I could be with you! I had no idea how you would think of me if you saw what I was! I was afraid that you'd see nothing but a monster! And if you did know then, why didn't you confront me years ago? Tell me why!"_

Her eyes again show shame, but inside she's thinking hard about what she should do. Her mind gives her two options: come completly clean to him or hide _some_ of the truth. Either way she isn't able to escape facing this. She debates for a few moments, before she looks at him to say: " _I was sent here for you"_

He looks at her, confused and asks " _Me? What's so special about me? Where did you get sent from?"_ She actually rolls her eyes at the first line, before deciding to tell him a part of the truth. The rest she would share when Reiner and Bertoldt met her after this mission. And hopefully James would listen, and try to understand all that's happened, the reason why.

 _"Aside from being the only person who makes me happy, you're actually quite unique for a shifter James. You have something called the Coordinate, so does Eren. That's why I tried to take him and lead you away from here."_

James has even more questions then when he started, and presses on. " _But what Is the Coordinate? What's so special about having it?"_ He waits for her answer, and is shocked when she gives it.

 _"It's the power to control Titans."_

James stood there stunned, _'The power to control Titans? No, I can't have that. Why does she think I have that? And if **Jaeger** of all people has it, he would've already wiped the Titans off the face of the world.' _ He decides to ask her two important questions.

" _Why do you need that power then? And where is your village, because I'm guessing it's outside the walls, isn't it?"_

James sees her nod, and notices her calm down more. She doesn't appear as scared when he chased her into this forest. _'Was she afraid that I would really hurt her? I know it might've looked terrifying, but I just wanted answers. I could never hurt her.'_

 _"Where would me and Eren have gone if you took us?"_ Her answer is immediate: " _My village, far outside the walls"_

James sits there there remembering something he heard once years ago, when he had encountered that strange hairy Titan that spoke _at_ him.

"...So _far away from your village boy? Banished?"_

He hadn't thought too much into it, because he never thought humans or people like him existed outside the walls. He'd only seen Titans, which meant it was a lie...or there _was a place where his kind lived in peace away from the confines of these walls_. But it only brought the question back to the front of his mind.

'What _is it like outside these walls, really?'_

" _And if I came with you..would you tell me the whole truth? Because even now I can tell your still hiding something."_ Her eyes harden a bit at being caught, but James stares hard, waiting for an answer. Finally she sighed and nodded.

" _I don't like keeping secrets from you James, believe me. But I only do it to protect you, for the greater good. I'm sorry, but I promise to tell you if we both leave together._ "

He stands there thinking hard, eyeing her and the surrounding scouts who sat watching from the safety of the trees. There were maybe 30 left, but he knew some were probably ordered to guard the border of the forest and await the rest of the formation. He thinks about her offer, knowing he considers doing it, but another thought worked it's way into his mind.

' _Can_ _I really just leave?'_ he asks himself.

 _'I do have something like a family inside these walls. Even if I'm done putting my life on the line for **humanity** , that doesn't mean I can just abandon them. I did that once and regretted it more than anything..but I don't want to stay in these walls. I want to be **free** , among my own kind, not being judged for being what I am._

 _Only a few know my secret, and I think I should tell the rest before I leave. Then I can do it in peace, I can go without guilt. I hope.. that maybe they'll understand. Sasha, Connie, Krista, hell even Jean and Ymir. I already told what I was feeling to Reiner and Bert, I know they'll understand. It's time to tell her.'_

Sighing deeply, James looks at Annie and tells her his decision. In a low whine, he calls to her " _I'll go with you Annie, I made a promise to stay with you back in Trost. But please, give me a few days. I..I need a few days, to say goodbye to them. Sasha, Krista all of them, and I'll leave with you. I can ask Eren if he wants to go, but I'm not sure he'll be as accepting. I want to know, just to say i asked. If not then we'll leave together, just the two of us."_

She considers his terms, and in all honesty they weren't what she expected. She understands the feeling of family he has to the 104th, after all her and the others felt it as well. But the problem was Reiner and Bertoldt might say the wrong thing if they were to both show up. She decides to give James his few days, and she will just have to talk to them before he does. Then they can try to make their own farewells without secrets being revealed between the shifters.

They would sneak out after her and James left and just rendevouz back home. If they were to meet before then, if today was any indicater of how he took betrayel, it could be an all out deathmatch between the 3. While Reiner and Bert would'nt want to battle him, not out of fear but respect, James wouldn't hesitate to take their heads. He wouldn't stop until they were both dead in his claws or lodged in his teeth, and then his anger might turn to _her._

It was a daring plan, with the highest of risks if it fell through. But it was all she had, all she can hope to try and see to not only save her home, the people of the walls, but also her relationship with James. If he learned the truth before he learned their identities, he still wouldn't _forgive_ them, but maybe he would _understand_ them. She decided to tell him her answer, giving a low but oddly pleased sounding moan.

 _"Alright James, I know it's hard to just up and leave. I'll do that for you, I can wait a few days for your goodbyes. I think I want to make some as well, but not together. It would draw attention to us and anyone we met with. I don't want them to face any scrutiny after we go._ _But before we get to any of that, can you free me?"_

James looks at the cables holding her, and to the scouts watching the pair in silence, ready to make a move. Looking very deliberately at them, he moves to slice the cables holding her head and neck. Their reaction is moving forward before being told to wait by their Commander, much to James surprise. _'It can't really be that simple, can it? Or did I strike that much fear into them with my little dance back there?'_

As he goes to slice the cables even further a strange scent begins to fill his nose, and he sees Annie sniffing as well. _'Woodsy, like fur. Why does this seem familiar too?'_ Her eyes widen as she again begins to shake and try to escape, before pleading with James in a urgent cry.

" _James we have to leave NOW! There's no time to explain, just get me out of here, PLEASE JAMES!!"_ Her voice is filled with fear of whatever they smell, and he quickly complies with a few slashes at the last of her restraints. As she frees herself, the both look up and hear a deep chuckling echo.

" _Ah two for one. Kill them all."_ before the stomps begin.


	39. 39 57th Expedition-Panic

**Well I'm glad to see reviews already on my new story barely 2 days after it's published. Will update both Awakening and WoaW alternatively. So when one gets a new chapter, you know the next is on the way for the other. Last chapter did end on a cliffhanger, but I think I did a good job with making one.** **So** **as I stated many times already, heavy canon divergance. Let us begin.**

57th Expedition-Panic

Commander Erwin and Section leader Hange and been watching the two titans exchange "words" for a few minutes now. At a few points it seemed that the Mauler _did_ recognize the female form, and expressed anger at her a few times. She observed that the Female Titan had looked down in what appeared to be _shame_ a few times, after the Mauler questioned her.

What she was also took note of was the Mauler being calmer and no longer forthing with rage as both began to converse faster. She saw the Mauler stop for a moment to look at all of them above their little chat, and watching them hard, move to cut the cables. All that happened at the same time a pungent smell began to fill their noses, that smelled of what, fur? It was musky, from some woodland animal, and she saw the pair also lift their heads to smell it too.

Erwin had been about to order a few scouts to stop the cables from being cut when he too smelled the scent. The female began to struggle and cry out frantically much to the confusion of all that watched, her eyes had widened with fear again. She called out out to the Mauler like an animal in distress, and it quickly began to slice at her restraints. Hange herself was about to move when they all heard a deep rumbling chuckle that echoed through the forest.

It was eerie, it sounded as if it came from a large set of lungs, lungs too big for a human. Lungs sized for a Titan, but no Titan has _ever_ been recorded chuckling. Nor _speaking_ as she heard a voice give an order " _Ah two for one. Kill them all."_ Then began what sounded like a stampede as the forest began to rumble with dozens of heavy footsteps. She and Erwin looked as groups of Titans began to emerge sprinting from the tree line out from their sight. The Mauler and Female then began to fight off the ravenous beasts.

James began tearing small titans apart as they neared him and Annie, not wanting any to get near her. While he knew just how powerful of a fighter she is, he still felt that need to protect her. Even more that he was encased in a form made to kill other titans, he began to use and fight with everything he had. He ripped napes out with his jaws, crushed and bashed skulls in with his fists and slammed or severed bodies form head with his legs. All the bloodlust was beginning to take over as he saw Annie get jumped by a group of three 10 meters at once.

He leapt at her and knocked the whole group to the forest floor, and rolled as hard as he could away from the tangle of bodies with Annie in his arms. As he let go he rose to roar loudly before taking his self taught crouch in front of her, ready to tear his foes apart. She got up quickly to help him but he turned his head to snap at her.

" _Run, forget about me and go! I can get away on my own, but I need to know that you can get away. I know you don't want to, but I can buy you time to escape from this."_ She looks at him in disbelief and shakes her head. She wails low, pleading with him " _No I'm not leaving you in all this, let me help.."_

He growled at her " _I said go, I've got this._ _Get out of here please, make it back to the wall. I'll meet you in 4 days inside Stohess! I promise, then we'll leave. Now go!"_ She hesitated but he gave her a pleading look to listen to him. She gave him one final look and placed her hand on his face before turning and sprinting away from the incoming carnage.

 _'Well that was thoughtful. Now I can fight without having to worry about her getting hurt. I get to go all out on the Titans, and I don't hink she would like to that side of me. I'm surprised the scouts still haven't made a move, perhaps they're afraid of facing me? Good. They better not go after her, or they'll get a piece of me too._ ' He thinks as he eyes how many still watch him, and then at how many Titans he faced on ground level.

Like the last time he was swarmed in the forest of giant trees years ago, he stood against about 2 dozen Titans. He'd whittled them down to that many with the 12 he killed before he told Annie to run. Now he had nothing holding him back, and let loose a loud challenging roar at the group. None of them were near his size most were only 10 meters, it was just that there were alot. They began to move towards him and he ran at them with his claws and teeth ready, and took a ramming stance.

Charging with all he had, he collided with the group with the same speed he had the armored 5 years ago. The result was a handful of the smaller ones being trampled and a couple getting crushed under his large frame and powerful legs. He had also launched a few backwards towards the trees where they crumpled and slowly began to get up. The rest he took the opportunity to slash and punch before they regrouped.

He was taking them two or even three at a time, and again used his training combat skills as well as his animal side. Headlocks, high kicks, nape crushes, and even a few spinal tear outs began to make fighting the remaining Titans easier. Above him the scouts were still watching him, their faces varying from sheer shock or fearful awe at the massacre taking place below them. He thought he even heard one or two _cheer_ him on as he now faced only a much smaller group of 8 meters.

He waited for them to make the first move, and delivered a fatal roundhouse as one got close enough. He noticed only 4 were left and decided to charge the group, intending to finish this fight. He slashed throats and tore ones head off before another got onto his back and tried to bite him. He spun and shook himself hard but the small fucker had a good grip. He then decided to use that hold _against it_ as he ran backwards into a tree and slammed hard into it's body.

With the strength he possessed as well as his protective armor literally squeezed the Titan between himself and the tree. He tuned and grabbed it's neck while using it's body like a living club, striking the last before he latched on with his teeth an store out the last Titans nape. He let it drop from his moutg as he calmed down, finally alone in the forest. He knew he was alone as he saw that the scouts were retreating towards the direction from where they had set off this morning.

 _'It really has been one helluva day hasn't it? Let's see, my girlfriend's a Titan, (and a curvy one at that). I've killed quite alot of humans today, though they brought it on themselves. I now truly have no chance in hell of proving I'm an ally to humanity, not that it really matters._

 _They hated me before I killed to defend myself, now they'll just have another excuse. I've realized I've been basically deluded to what I was raised to believe. I'd chosen to fight for those who hate me, instead of those who deserve it. But i freed myself from that,_ _and now I have a decision to make._

 _I now have a chance to leave and live among my own kind with Annie, away from the hate, the fear of me bred from ignorance..but it means I leave the family I've become a part of. It's what I want, but it means doing what hurt me so hard for so long. I never wanted to feel that way again, so I grew to be one of them and they all grew close to me. But now I don't have a choice, not really. Some of them know me, including the one who I just bought time for._

 _Reiner and Bert will understand why I did what I did today, even if it might disgust them. They saw what my kind goes through with humans, can they really blame me? And then there's him, the boy who probably will be telling them my identity after my actions today. Marco._

 _Innocent, good hearted freckled Marco. The one person who should've never learned who I was, because I underestimated him. Sure he is truly nice, and thinks of others, but he was willing to give me up if I became an enemy. Can't really blame him for that, but I do blame him for not waiting for me to explain why I did what I did today. If he survived today, then I might as well not return with the rest. I'd just be going back to the fear filled accusations of being a monster.._.

 _I'll just have to hide in the shadows till I get my chance to talk to Eren and the others alone. He'll definitely be pissed, but what's he gonna do? Call me a murderer? Yeah, it was my choice to kill them, but it was theirs to ignore my mercy._

 _I'm tired. Tired of the death. I'm tired of the accusations. I'm tired of the lies I'm forced to tell just to live. I'm tired of the fight I'm so good at and ready to join in on._

 _I'm tired of being human._

 _I once asked myself why I_ _separated_ _myself_ _from the others, calling them human. I asked myself in Trost what I was, Human or monster? I also questioned if I had any humanity inside me, about whether I was born with it but doubted I had it. Or if i just never had it to begin with, which wouldn't surprise me if I didn't._

 _With_ _all that's happened today, with all the blood on my hands, now I think I have the answer to my question._ _Yes I have some sense humanity, deep inside, that makes me fight for my family._

 _But I'm_ _a monster, because I don't take a side but my own_.

 _I'm_ _a monster with humanity, just not for it._ '

His musings continue as he begins to walk away from the carnage, no particular destination in mind. He supposes he should make sure Annie got away, though he knows she can handle herself. Still it would give him something to do, so he begins to head in the direction she left in. Her scent is there, leading straight towards the Wall.

There's no other trace of that one from before, that strange animalish one. He has a feeling that whatever commanded those Titans to attack him might've been the reason Annie had been seen leading a group at the right flank.

 _'Did she head there to escape? Lead the Titans towards the more experienced soldiers so that they could dispose of them? Or because she wanted to see me before she grabbed Eren? I wonder...why did she freak out from that smell? How does she know it, or what it came from?'_

He gets out of the treeline to see her scaling the top of Wall rose, far away from the city to her right.

 _'Shes safe, so now I just gotta worry about me. Time to say goodbye this time. To be alone...Again'_


	40. 40 Stohess-Two Betrayels

**And so the Stohess Arc has begun. As you saw last Arc, James is going through a rough time in his mind. Little Manuel.G yeah I try not to go too far, but I felt it was necessary for that time. In these it won't be as saddened, but merely him getting _angry_ of the situation He's in. Hopefully you enjoy this arc as much as you did the last. As for his.. _mood_ , He's beginning to really question himself, his whole life, even his humanity. This chapter and Arc will start where Annie meets Armin in Stohess. Heavy divergance, a few povs during this, mainly James and Annie, but also one or two of Eren and a little Mikasa. Let us begin.**

Stohess-Two Betrayels

Annie had been anxious all day, both knowing today she would be leaving with James, and the fact that Eren would be escorted through the city to meet with the military police. Her commanding officers were too lazy to oversee the operation themselves, being used to the cushy life in the interior of Wall Sina. A few hours had passed since she had received the news, and she was walking a bit further back from Hitch and Marlowe when she heard a familiar voice call out to her.

" _Annie!"_ she steps backwards and sees a hooded blonde hiding behind her in an alley. She almost can't believe her eyes at who stands before her.

"So your a full fledged Mp now?" She clears her head and replies.

" _Armin?_ What are you doing here? And what's with the outfit?" He asks "Oh, you mean the rain gear? Makeshift disguise, I'm using to hide my ODM gear, see?" He lifts up the sides to show he indeed had his gear tucked upwards into the cloak. To anyone it wouldn't even be noticable unless it was shown. It's quite impressive, or it would be if she hadn't used that method to sneak out of the walls a few days ago.

She presses on with her first question. "What's this about?" Armin surprises her with his answer. "Annie, We have a plan to help Eren escape and we need you to help us."

 _'Escape? Why?'_ She begins to think harder.

"Escape to where? There's nowhere to hide behind these walls. And why would he need to run in the first place?" _'Time to see if he'll tell the truth.'_

"On the expedition, we suffered heavy losses. We were..betrayed by the Mauler Titan, it killed dozens of our troops. The government declared both it and Eren to be enemies of humanity. Since he spoke highly of it during his trial, and since it seemed to seek him out in Trost, they want to charge him with treason. He's being escorted through the city to his death, all because they won't listen to reason. _Please Annie, we need your help!"_

 _'Of course they'll blame Eren. Even though it wasn't fully mine or James fault for what happened out there, they'll use Eren as an example, because he's like us. But why didn't you mention Me Armin, how I was there too, that I spared your life? Do you already suspect me, or..did someone else?'_ She feels like it's a trap, but she feels the chance to snag Eren would be worth it if she could get close enough. She decides that she will play along for now, but takes out her ring and slips it on without him noticing.

"Alright, I'll help you. But if you are going to use my help, then we do this my way. Otherwise we'll be spotted and I don't want to be accused of treason for helping you out." _'Ironic. Even if I'm already a traitor in another way, "I don't want to be accused of treason?" It makes me want to laugh a little.'_

He nods and they begin to take back alleys as she follows him to where she spots another pair of hooded figures, who reveal themselves to be Mikasa...and Eren? She goes to ask Armin about how he's here when he already begins explaining.

"We used Jean as a decoy, I figured at a distance he would be good enough to lull them into a false sense of security while we snuck out. By the time they reach the capital amd realize it's not him, we'll be far enough away that they can't stop us." She begins to ask more questions about his so called plan.

"How exactly do you plan on getting out of here before then? I'm not sure what part I play in this." Armin steadily answers her.

"We wanted to use the checkpoints while being escorted by you so that we wouldn't draw attention. If it were a scout then suspicion would rise as to why they aren't with the rest of the caravan. The only ones here who don't draw attention here are the Mps, and since you were the only one we knew who joined, it made sense to ask you."

She again is impressed at the logic, but she's even more aware of their surroundings. They seem to be on a completely deserted section of city block. She pressed on further with a question that she is actually curious about, suspicions aside. "And what would you have done if I hadn't helped? Try to break him out while you're already under close watch?"

"Something like that, since the capital is another days worth of travel, we would get over the wall using our gear after we got inside Sina. We would just have to wait till nightime and were far away from the city before we broke off." Her eyes narrow almost unnoticablely, but her thoughts are razor sharp as she begins to predict what he's planning.

 _'Always so smart. I bet you already thought of a back up for that as well, like your planning on taking me, aren't you? From the way you're sweating bullets, I'd say you can't believe I'm cooperating so easily. Did you expect perhaps, for me to transform and just snatch Eren right in front of you?'_ She keeps her thoughts to herself, and blandly comments on his brilliance.

"Sounds quite risky, I'm not sure I would let it go that far. There's too many ways it can go wrong. I'm not much of a gambler myself, but if your that confident in your plan, I guess it's your decision to face if it fails." _'Just like it's mine for playing along this much.'_

The group arrives at a set of stairs leading down to a dark tunnel, and Annie stops as they continue down it. Beside entering a place she wouldn't be able to transform and escape from, _she_ _hates the dark_. It's not the dark that she's afraid of, not really. _It's what's in it._ The trio notice her absence and turn up to her. Eren is the first to speak, blowing off her staying as just being stupid.

"What are you waiting for, c'mon. Unless your afraid of enclosed spaces let's go. We don't have all day."

She responds with a bit of emotion in her voice for once. "I wouldn't expect a suicidal maniac like you to understand the fears of a frail girl like myself. I'm not going down there. I _hate the dark_." Its the most truth she's spoken to them since she agreed to help them in "escaping". She wouldn't agree to this even if she weren't being led into a trap, if she didn't have the feeling of eyes on her right now. Her fear of it was too much, and something she never actually told anybody, even James.

"Please anyone who can flip a man over her shoulder like it's nothing shouldn't be afraid of a little darkness. C'mon just get down here already." but she stays rooted at the top of the stairs.

"I said I'm not going down there, I'm too afraid. Above ground or in the light I'll help, but I'm not going anywhere that I think is like a cave. I hate it Eren, that's my final word. Take it or leave it." He raises his voice, sounding a bit distressed. _'You don't want to believe it, don't you? They already figured it out, but you don't want to see that I'm not one of you.'_

"Annie please, just get down here already! Stop being stupid and prove me right, prove that they're wrong to accuse you!" Armin tries pleading as well, but she sees something in his left hand. _'A flare gun huh?'_ The last one who fired one of those aimed it _at her,_ to signal an attack aimed at her and James.

 _'Speaking of which, where is he? If they suspect me then they had to have questioned or detained him somehow. He said that he would meet me today, but was he going along with their caravan plan, or meeting me before?_

"Please Annie, just come down here. We can talk this out, we can discuss this like rational human beings. Please just follow us!!" As she goes to retort by stating his claim as a lie, a laugh is heard by all of them. An all too familiar, genuine heart laugh that comes from behind her.

She turns and sees nothing, confused like the trio below her. _'Where is he?'_ She sees one of the doors open from the building behind her, and James comes out laughing as if he just heard a great joke at dinner. He looks a bit tired, but maybe only from getting up a little too early, not as if he went days without sleep. His face gives a small smile as he approaches her, and she has a tingle of unease run down her spine.

' _What's going on here, did they not suspect him?? Was their intentions to use him as a bargaining chip to get her to walk into her own ambush?'_ But her thoughts are put aside as he stands and wraps his arms around her while planting a kiss on her head. She turns to see the trio still on the stairs look more stressed out, which leads her to believe either they never planned on him showing up, or they are waiting to see what they do next.

James gives a amused look at the group below him. He speaks to Armin directly, looking at him with something like contempt in his eyes.

"Why Armin you should know by now that humans are _not_ rational beings, _or at least those in charge aren't._ Surely you've seen just how paranoid and jittery they can be. Because if they _were_ rational, then we wouldn't be having this conversation like this, now would we? You wouldn't be looking at me and Annie with such _f_ _ear_ , if you were rational.

Tell me Armin, would we be here alone on this _almost_ empty street, while you try to plead with us holding a flare gun in your hand, if you really wanted to talk this out _like rational human beings?_ A little ironic, makes me want to laugh that you have the _nerve_ to say such a thing. After all, arent _We_ the reason your _really here_ , aside from Eren? Aren't you here to _capture_ us? _To capture me_?"

Annie looks at him, at how calm he sounds while looking so angry. She watches as Armin looks James in the eye, and calmly asks him. " _James, why did you betray us? Why did Marco have to tell us, instead of you?_ " The world around them seems to stop as the words hang in the air.

Annie's eyes widen as she sees the bitter smile James then gives the blonde. His eyes look as if he _amused_ at all this, as if he's been planning it. He tells Armin in the simplest way. "Because I was the one who was betrayed Armin. I was betrayed by _Humanity. I'm just returning the favor"_


	41. 41 Stohess-Allegiance

**Alright next part of the Stohess Raid is here! I know I double updated this story but I couldnt resist. This had been one of the moments I've been looking forward to since I first began this story, so I will be grinding this arc out quite fast. As usual drop a review, and Thank you all who have been following and reviewing my other story Awakening. Let us begin.**

Stohess-Allegiance

"I was betrayed by _Humanity. I_ _'m just returning the favor."_

All eyes were on James as he openly declared himself to be an enemy to humanity, or that's how those in the square aside from Annie took it. Armin's hand shook as he held the flare gun, and he calmly asks James a question.

"James, _you_ were the one who betrayed _us_. You killed dozens of scouts, _even your own team_ who we found crushed in the village. _How did we betray you?"_ At his words James seems to grow angry and steps forward a little.

He glares at Armin directly and spit out " _Because I was never seen as an ally by them._ They didn't even give me a chance to explain when I spotted Annie running out there. _Running for her life I might add,_ but as soon as _I_ shifted they attacked the _both_ of us. I tried to ignore them at first, I gave them chances. But they _just kept pushing._

You know me Armin, or a part of me, I should say. I don't start fights, _I just finish them._ It was their choice to fight me when I offered mercy twice, and so they got what they wanted. The same went for those who got in my way as I chased her in the forest, but I didn't feel like offering mercy. When they attacked I returned the hostility, I didn't have time for games. I wanted answers, and I got them after I talked with her. I talked to her after I escaped the _trap they designed just for me before I killed them._

 _They never trusted me Armin,_ they were ready to capture and bind me like a beast to be studied and put on a leash, or die if I wouldn't obey.

So you see Armin, how should i react when the people I try to protect turn on me first? Should I be like Eren and become a chained dog for them to boss around or dispose of when they see fit? Thats not what I am, and nor will I ever be. I'm not even sure _how or why_ Eren accepts it, he should be free to make his own decisions."

Eren speaks up angrily at this, both at being called a dog and at the betrayel he faces from one of his friends. "I make my own choices just fine without killing people! At least I'm not a _murderer like you_! I didn't choose to be a monster, I just became one! I chose to fight _for_ humanity, not _against_ it like you and her!"

James growls and yells right back at him. "Oh _really_? _I'm the murderer?_ Let's see all that I've done compared to what I've faced since I've been born shall we? I saved you and your mother after our home fell, after I just watched my parents die from being crushed. I escorted you and my sister to the gate and stayed back to help others. I fought the Armored and failed to stop him as he broke it and my sister before my eyes.

 _All because I was so focused on saving others, I didn't even take the proper time to make sure my own flesh and blood was safe._ All because of the masochistic mission my parents charged me and eventually my sister with. To _save_ you people, even if all you would do was _hate_ me. I ran away because I never wanted to do that, and yet when I left they began to put my sister through the same bullshit I believed until recently.

I helped you take back Trost when you couldn't even control to pick up a boulder without punching yourself and neat killing your sister in the process. I cleaned up the bodies of all those I couldn't save with my power because they would kill me for it!

Don't get me wrong, I still love my parents for what they did. They cared about me as they should have, but they made sure I trained. It made me strong, strong enough to slaughter and kill anything that got in my way. Strong enough to survive on my own because that was the only way for someone like me inside these walls. But what I hated even then is the answer to _why_. The question they never answered, and never gave me a solid answer to.

 _Why should I fight for ungrateful people? Why should I fight for people who don't even make an effort to understand and instead just blindly hate what they cannot be? Why should I fight when I wouldn't get anything in return, except hate and accusations?_!"

He takes deep breathes, and Annie puts a hand on his houlder to calm, but he continues. " _What would you have me do Eren, Armin? Just submit to it and become a pet?_ I think not, I will _no_ longer let myself be used by the people who oppress me! And that's why I'm here now, aside from leaving with Annie." At this last sentence the trio below and everyone else hiding in wait, including Annie tense as they listen.

"I'm going to give you two options Eren, that are entirely yours to make. You can join us and accompany me to her village, where we'll both get answers to the questions we have about this world. You'll learn how to be better with your power, and I won't be seen as an outcast anymore. We can both be among our own kind. _Or_..." His eyes take a dark look as he stares directly into Eren's furious emeralds.

"You can stay here, trapped like birds in a cage that you'll never break free of if you allow yourself to be chained. You can rot and see how humanity treats you for the rest of your life. You can give yourself and your power to them, and it'll all be in vain. You can try to fight and stop us here in Stohess, and cause the deaths of thousands of people. We can tear the city apart as you try so hard to beat not only those who taught you, but those you owe your life, your mother's life, and the lives of so many others too. Or _not_ , and simply let us leave peacefully.

But either way, I won't be stuck here behind these walls any longer. _Annie and I are leaving today, no matter what you say or try to do._ You can come with, or you can get out of my way. It's that simple Eren, so what's it going to be?"

Silence hangs in the air as all eyes are on one of the two as they stare each other down. James watches him look down for a moment, and waits for his answer for almost a minute. They all wait, his sister, Annie, Armin, the various people James can hear even hiding above them all await his answer. Finally Eren begins to speak.

"It's true, I do owe you alot. Your right, you have saved a lot more people than I have James. _But you've also killed people James, innocent people. You've killed far more than I ever will, and_ that's what separates _me from you_. _You're a monster James_ , and I guess I am too. But I choose _not_ to be, you...you _embrace it_. I..I'm keeping by what I said to you back in Trost, when we met as Titans. I'm fighting _for Humanity_ , for my friends lives. And if that means I have to stop you two from leaving, then I'll do what I have to in order to win."

James tilts his head at the end of the declaration, and gives another bitter smile to the group of people he called family. _'Stubborn as always.'_ He calls out to Eren and the rest as he readies himself for what comes next.

"Impressive speech Eren. You truly are a warrior, so set in fighting for your cause. But you are wrong about me fighting against humanity, or my friends. They are the reason I fight, you all are, or were I guess now talking about you three. I hope you made the right choice Eren, I'd hate to see you regret it further down the line. And as for being a 'monster' I ask you this Eren. You too Mikasa, and Armin, think about it today, for the rest of your lives:

Do Monsters make War? _Or does War make Monsters?"_

James turns his head to Annie, and touches his head with hers before the storm begins. "Promise me that you'll escape, even if I'm downed. Get yourself out of here, away from them. I promise I will find my way to you, do you trust me?" She gives him one last desperate look, and slowly nods at him. A tear begins to form in one of her eyes and her wipes it away as he leans down to kiss her. As they separate the flare gun in Armin's hand goes off, and the square seems to fill with people rushing them from all sides

But they're too late as the pair raises their hands to shift, Annie with her ring and James with a savage bite to the hand. An explosion is felt by all of them as The Shinganshina trio flee further down the stairs to avoid the blast, and as they get to the bottom they turn slightly to see a pair of skeletons arise. Flesh wraps and winds itself around the massive frames, and where once stood two of their friends now stood two monsters.

The Female Titan's eyes shine bright icy blue for a moment as she looks down at them, almost in pity. But the Mauler's electric slits widen for a moment as he feels the familiar surge of power, narrows them and rears his head back to screech high at the heavens above. It echos across the square, across the city as James lets loose his anger at Humanity. The sound is heard by the citizens of Stohess, and the Scout Regiment as well as the Mps stationed inside the city.

Terro and panic spreads like wildfire as the lightning dissipates, and the ground begins to shake a little from the massive footsteps being made by the shifter pair. The scouts begin to mobilize as they have prepared for the operation to go south, but are still intimidated by fact that they're taking _two Titans, including the one that slaughtered nearly a half of their soldiers and_ dozens of Titans within a half hour.

James follows Annie as she leads him through the city, and he tries to cover her neck as they head towards less populated and clustered areas. Sure James may not fight for humanity anymore, but he doesn't want to cause unecassary death. He knows the feeling of family and friend being ripped away, and wants to leave before he too does it. He spots scouts attempting to strike at their weak spots, and he uses his armor to block her when they strike.

One manages to get past him and watches in disbelief as the blade shatters on her crystalized nape before they're swatted away by Annie's hand.He mentions it as he growls lowly to her. _"Almost forgot you can do that, it's quite useful. You can shield yourself like me."_

She turns her head to him as they jog towards the outer gate, and she rasped back at him " _So does this mean I'm no longer the frail maiden?"_ She asks amused that he's really thinking that at a time like this. He chuckles back darkly as they run.

" _I never did, you were too ready to fight to notice"_


	42. 42 Stohess-Blurred

**Wow I'm a little surprised at the reviews for chapter 40, did I really give off that vibe of killing Armin? Didn't mean to, but I guess that's just how it came out. Hope that humor at the end of last chapter wasn't out of place, just was something I wanted to put. Major chapter here, and the Stohess arc isn't even halfway for those ready to ask. Major battle will be taking place, with great detail. As usual drop a review, let us begin.**

Stohess-Blurred

James and Annie were near the center of the city when the first soldiers began their attack. It was almost pathetic that they believed they could take not one, but _two_ very experienced and deadly shifters at the same time. Or that's how James saw it as he snagged a line to slam the scout it held into the side of a building. Annie was a little ahead of him, but close enough for him to catch up to her if he wanted. However he had no need to and continued along the path she chose that contained the least amount of people.

He felt the familiar stab of a hook strike his shoulder and prepared to turn and punch the fool dumb enough to try when he saw who it was. There was no mistaking that hair, nor the horse faced soldier it was attached to. _Jean_. He held his hand to block his nape instead, but made no move to strike down a friend of his. Jean swung around to land near his shoulder as James slowed slightly to call out to Annie.

" _Annie, I don't care what happens to the scouts or Mps, but don't harm our_ _friends_. _Please_ _Annie_ , _don't kill them. They shouldn't die without learning the truth."_ She looks at him in confusion for a moment, and rasps back gently to him. " _I wasn't going to, I know what your feeling James. I don't want to hurt them either, but the rest I don't care about. I promise I won't hurt them, but I will defend myself without killing them."_

He gives a grateful nod and rumble from his throat, and begins to walk forward in a light jog. Armin appears alongside Jean this time, and shouts out to the James.

"What's the matter James? You said your done with humanity right? Then why are you holding back? Prove it, you said your not with us anymore, so _prove it! Or is that a lie too, like everything you told us?"_ As Armin finishes yelling Jean and him retreat only to have a handul of scouts replace them. James scans their faces for any familiar ones as they try to rush him, and he sees that none of his friends are among them. He angrily roars and swipes at them and few dodge, while the others slap with a wet sound as they meet the buildings.

The rest try to regroup with two aiming for his eyes while one goes for his ankle. He ducks under the two near his eyes and kicks the scout near his foot hard enough that they crash where James and Annie had transformed. The pair watch in shock as he turns quickly on them and they evade before his fists can meet them, but he was able to grab one with his jaws, much to the horror of those watching.

He shook his head hard side to side and the body split into many pieces from the force of it. He spit out the mangled remains and grabbed the other who had watched the savage act frozen in pure fear, and looked around. He spotted Armin looking at him with Jean at his side, both wide eyes and open mouthed. He began to approach them and grabbed them both in his other hand. Looking them both in the eyes, he held up the other scout for them to see, before squeezing her into a bloody mess. Both of them looked at James in horror as he then turned his glare to them, when it was really aimed at Armin.

 _'There, is that proof enough for you Armin? Was you're little rant worth that soldiers life, or his stupid squadmates? Because that is what I can do, what I will do if you continue this. This is what I will do to anyone who gets in my way or hurts her, do you understand? So when I choose not to kill you or anyone else I know, TAKE THE GODDAMN HINT! I don't Want to kill you guys, but I will if you make me!!'_ He loosens his grip as he finishes snarling at them and drops them to the roof top below, and they don't move for nearly a full minute as he turns and runs.

 _'Now where's Annie? I haven't been protecting her, all because I got distracted. I can't let it happen again, the last time I wasn't focused I lost Eve. I'm not losing her too. Where is she?!'_ His answer is a loud shriek of defiance that comes from the right, and he jumps onto the roofs to get a better look. He looks in time to see her get wrapped up in cables like the ones used on him in the forest, and sees her fall to the street. He pounches as she disappears from his sight, and leaps across streets before final landing near her. As he goes to free her _another_ set of the traps are fired on him and he too falls to his belly, wrapped up yet again.

He struggles to rise but the position he's in doesn't give him much room to gain momentum and break free. He watches the section leader, Hange if he recalls, the one dedicated to studying Titans and now shifters, approache him. He watches her with narrowed slits as he gets closer to his face, but she doesn't draw her blades. She stands less than 5 feet from his eyes, when she starts to quietly talk to him, and he has no trouble hearing her.

" _So now that we have you, this can go one of two ways. You can fight and cause more deaths, possibly those you called friends. Or you can calm down and let us to you in for questioning. I'd prefer if you took the second, because I want to learn more about you two, as well as what made those Titans attack you and her. I know she didn't have a chance to gather them, which means something else did, didn't it? Something you both know about, that scares her even more than you do. It doesn't have to come down to this Draekon, or James if you prefer. But if you keep resisting then I have no choice but to take you by force."_

She waits for a response of some sort, she knows he hears her from the way his eyes widened for a moment before resuming their watch on her. What she doesn't expect is the answer to be the Female Titan freeing herself by hardening her fingertips to sharpened points to cut her at restraints. Annie rises and slices at James restraints as Hange tries to get away from the pair, but James grabs her in his hand and pins her to a building.

She watches with wide eyes as he stares at her with those electric blue slits, eyeing her intently. But he makes a sort of hissing, which begins to sound to her like... _chuckling_? He eyes her with what looks like _respect,_ but still gives her a huff of annoyance as he looks at the remains of her trap. He turns back to her and gives a predatory smile, which makes her sweat as she prepares for her death. All because of her belief that she had something that could shed some light on a few dozen things that were running through her head since the expedition...but death blow never comes.

Her eyes watch in disbelief as the Mauler no, _James Draekon_ loosens his grip and places her on a rooftop. He stands straight up and stares at her, and she thinks he sees something like respect in his eyes. Not respect like that shown for a superior, but more like the kind shown to people you deem trustworthy. He nods at her and calls back to the Female form, and the pair continue to run through streets of Stohess. Around her she sees the damage caused by the pair escaping their trap, but she also takes into account the damage doen compared to what she knew they _could do if they wanted_.

It leads to the question in her head, one that she's been thinking of ever since the freckled boy came to tell her about the boy no, _the warrior_ inside the Mauler Titan. ' _What_ _is your reason for fighting? What is the reason for all that's happened, from the saving to the killing, what is it?'_

James sticks closer to Annie as they begin to near the massive wall cultist church, and he pauses a moment to look at the place in disgust. _'Its also **their** fault that these people are trapped in this cage, why I was as well. They hold back anything that would change these walls, walls made of the same beasts they keep out. More human foolishness and ignorance that causes UNEEDED SUFFEREING!'_

His internal rant is interrupted by Annie snapping suddenly at him with a urgent yelp. " _James! Look!"_ He sees her point to where a lightning bolt is dissipating into the air, which means that Eren's shifted. But the question is _why_ , has he changed his mind to come with them? Or is he coming to fight them right now?

He waits but faintly can hear the massive footsteps getting closer to where they are, and he looks around to take in his surroundings. As he turns to ask Annie where she thinks they should head next, a loud bellowing roar is heard and he sees Annie slam into both him and the wall church. Their massive bodies crush the building nearly to the ground, and James sees Eren standing there in his full might at 15 meters, his face very angry. He begins to charge them and James pulls Annie up before shoving her out of the charge, and grounding himself in place.

Eren crashes into him and almost topples him, but James snarls and bear hugs and throws him back the way he came. The massive body slams into another building, and Eren slowly begins to get up steaming around his shoulder and back. James sees incoming scouts and turns to ask Annie a guick question.

" _Where's the flatest part of the city? The place where their gear will be the least effective?"_ She's quick to reply and hisses back to him.

" _The city center, there's plenty of open space to move and fight!_ _Follow me!"_ She begins to lead him in a fast sprint, and James follows her while being pursued by a now restored Eren. James isn't afraid of fighting Eren, nor does he think it'll take much to take him down, even if he doesn't aim to kill. What he _is_ worried about is Eren having the help of scouts who can slice his or Annie's eyes it napes if they get surrounded if they battle with both. Then again the scouts face the wrath of two very deadly shifters, including one who's very _pissed._ It's a somewhat uneven fight for both sides, but it's the one they have to face.

 _'Time to see who's the **real** monster after today Eren. Time to see what you get for choosing so foolishly like you did. Lets see if you can handle the death.' _ James thinks as he continues behind Annie, running past fleeing citizens and lazy Mps who are caught off guard. He begins to see the area where Annie leads them, and already anticipates the fight to come.


	43. 43 Stohess-Reason

**G** **ET READY TO RUMBLE!! Alright the battle is finally here, Eren vs James as Titans! Will be as close as possible to episode 25, with a bit more of the fight we didn't see because of the Erwin and Nile standoff. This fight will definitely have to be two chapters at least due to dialogue and the action. Glad to see reviews barely an hour after I posted the last chapter. EverydayWeaboo, happy to see you enjoying it so far, as well as everyone else who's excited for this one! Also updated my other story Awakening, and will starting a new chapter for that right after I post this. I'll probably update this faster because I already have the momentum and story planned, whereas with Awakening I'm trying to carefully keep it canon with what I _think_ could happen. I highly recommend listening to Attack ON Titan theme for this, as well as playing Eren's roars from both the dub and sub to give a nice effect when they finally clash. As usual drop a review, let us begin.**

Stohess-Reason

Citizens fleed as massive beasts tore their way towards the city center, a large rectangular style area with next to no buildings inside it. People struggled and screamed to get out of the way as 3 very large Titans ran past them without care. Streets were demolished by the force of the footsteps, and debris was flying everywhere as the scouts watched the trio head for their intended battleground. Hange joins Armin and Jean atop of a building as the shifters pass them a few streets ahead.

"Well it looks like our boy is in control of himself this time." She notes as she sees Eren keep up and stay focused on the pair ahead of him. Armin is still a little shaken by what he and Jean saw James do when he had them in his grasp, but Jean is recovering better than he is. He's just shocked that one of his friends was capable of such a thing, someone he thought he knew quite well.

Armin speaks up "Still though, there's not much of a chance Eren can win this without our help, and even then it's a stretch. We've seen what they're capable of as Titans, but James and her in hand to hand as titans are a whole other thing. He can outfight anyone who tries him, and Annie was the pretty much the only one who could last against him. And that was only because of _how skilled she was_ , she actually ranked 4th. Even Mikasa only lasted so long against him because of her strength, and she was 2nd. But James, he outfought her and our class in _nearly_ _everything_ , from 3DM to stradegy"

Hange is suprised by the very grim assessment Arlert gives and turns to ask Kirschtein his thoughts. He sighes and shakes his head, but humors her all the same. "Armin's right, James and Annie were quite perfect for each other. We could all see it by the way they acted around the other, _especially_ when they fought in hand to hand. We use to tease them about how far they would go sometimes, but we all respected them and their skill. Eren was unique though.. _for once."_ He half smirked as he shook his head again, before he continued with his analysis

"He was one of very few who was up to spar with them regularly, and that's how he got so good himself. They trained him on the side as well because he asked, and it's also what made them good friends. That and Jaeger both being from Shinganshina kinda gave them another set of comradery. If they're fighting the same way they did as cadets but with the intention of _killing_ each other, I hate to say it's looking like an easy win for James here. As well as I know him, he's not going to let Eren touch Annie.

He gets _very defensive_ about people he's close too. We saw it with Krista as well during our second training mission, when he slaughtered a group of human traffickers who caught them. He _skinned_ and ate a pack of wolves they met on our first survival test, a test he was paired with Annie on. Him being like _this_ , _with her and him being targeted just means it's going to get bad real fast."_

His also grim assessment doesn't do much to keep her hopes of this being a day that doesn't end in countless casualties and defeat. She thinks to herself _'Will this all be worth it, even if we do win? What will be the cost?'_ She keeps her thoughts to herself as she watched the trio enter their destination.

James and Annie finally arrive at the city center when James turns and aims down, plunging his claws into the pavement and slowing his momentum. Annie slows herself by grabbing a circular building to her right. Eren stands growling and ready at the other end of the square. James crouches on his haunches for a moment, before rising to his full 17 meters, looming over Eren. He snarls out a challenge to his friend, now _enemy_ , if it gets bad enough.

His predatory face holds dark anticipation as he sees Eren's glare, and he bares his teeth, eager to crush something between them, and snaps them a few times. Eren takes his fighting stance, and James and Annie take theirs.

" _So Eren, here we are, two monsters in a clash of strength. I hope you can handle the consequences of all this, after all, any deaths from here on are on **your** hands. I've already tried reasoning with you, but I'll give it one last shot, for old times sake. Let us leave without a fight, or your going to lose **hard**. Last chance Eren, choose wisely."_

Eren roars back, his anger even apparent in his Titan form. " _Don't lie to me James, I can see that look in both of your eyes. You Want to fight, you love to, it's what brought you two together. And like I said before, I'll do whatever it takes to stop you murdering hypocrites. So I'm asking you James, and you too Annie:_

 _Fightings your whole world, but what exactly are you fighting for? WHAT COULD POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN WORTH ALL THIS DEATH AND DESTRUCTION?!?!"_

Eren roars loud and rushes as he throws a fist, and James screeches high as he too dashes forwards to aim one in return. Their fists collide with each other and the force behind both blows is enough to blast the air back and shatter nearby windows. Eren's hand gets destroyed under James gauntlet like hand, and he blocks the kick that James aimed at his chest with his forearms.

James has a sudden flashback to the last time they fought each other, in their arena style test.

" _Good_ _Job Jaeger, but_ _next time don't let your guard down. I saw the chance and took it, and so will whoever else sees it in a fight_ "

 _End flashback_

 _'So you DID learn something_ _after all'_ He thinks as Eren wraps around the leg with both arms and pulls hard to the left, launching James heavy body into the building nearest him. James crashes and nearly goes through the structure, but bounds forward as he sees Eren aim a jab at Annie.

She had blocked his first by hardening and raising her elbow, But the force behind it knocked her slightly off balance. Eren was trying to land a blow with his other hand, when he was rammed from the side by James. James picks him up by his arm and leg and spins around before letting go of them. Eren flies over a few buildings and crashes, but as James turns to leave when he hears a loud crashing sound.

He watches as Eren comes at him _through_ the building, no doubt crushing and killing anyone who was inside. _'More deaths on you hands, and it's all YOUR fault. I warned you Eren. After I'm finished with you, you'll see just how monsterous both you and I can_ _be_ '

He sidesteps the uppercut Eren attempts with his right, and James eagerly returned it with a set of jabs aimed at his chest. Eren stumbles back and James follows it up with a knee to the face and punch to the stomach. He knocks Eren to the ground and goes to stomp on his face and end it when Eren dodges the blow to smack the back of his fist into James face. He staggers a little from the force of it but otherwise he's fine, which is more than Eren can say about the steaming stump where his hand used to be.

James snarls and goes to pin Eren in the same lock he did months ago when Eren gets up suddenly and _headlocks James_ instead. He can't get out of the hold and shrieks defiance as he feels Eren try to decapitate him. He lets the animal side guide him and begins savagely stabbing and clawing Eren's face and ribs. He also tries to tear chunks of his side out with his teeth but can't quite get a good grip. Finally he gets out of it as Eren gets blinded and James decides to ram him before he gets his sight back. He succeeds, and begins to turn when Eren suddenly leaps at his back to pin his arms in the move _James was going to use before._

James is on the ground struggling when he sees Annie rush up and launch a deadly high kick at Eren's head. He let's go of James arms and barely blocks the near lethal blow, and slams into the building behind him. Smoke and debris cloud the air, and James hears a chomping sound like teeth on metal when the air finally clears, and he sees Eren's jaws latched onto Annie's shin. He goes to angrily tear them apart when Annie yells out at Eren.

" _Dammit Eren just let go! You've lost, just let us leave already, your the one who insists on fighting us!"_ Her yells are followed by her taking her right hand, hardening and _bash_ his head in over and over. She gives pained grunts as she does it till he finally let's go, with half his head and teeth destroyed. His steaming but limp form tells them both that he's done for, by the time he's healed they'll be long gone. Annie leaves first, but James takes a moment to kneel down before Eren's body, and hisses at him in victory.

" _I told you it would be a hard loss for you, look at you now. I wonder how you'll react to all those you killed today, all because you wanted to fight instead getting out of our way or coming with. I hope your ready to see how much of a monster **you are** , just like Me. But the thing is Eren, I became one because **They** made me one, that's the difference between us. I am disappointed it had to come to this, but it was your choice. I believe this is goodbye, suicidal maniac."_

He begins to turn and starts running when he barely hears a faint his eminate from Eren's mouth. An empty threat in his pitiful shape, but a threat and promise all the same.

" _I...will...KILL THEM...EVERY LAST ONE"_

James doesn't pay him any attention, which means he doesn't see the large amount of steam that begins to rise from Eren's skin. Skin that begins to form red lines along it's surface, attached to a body that begins to move away from where it lays and a bright eerie green eminates from the two holes where Erens eyes rest in his now healed head...

" _EVERY LAST ONE"_


	44. 44 Stohess-Wyvern

**Ah the moment is finally here! Part two of the epic clash between friend and foe, and even more tragic since both are one in the same! As you can tell by the title, there will be a major event that happens here, but you'll have to read on for it. EverydayWeaboo, as for the James blaming Eren thing, I see it as James both hating what Eren is doing but trying to save him from it. Remember he did get quite close with Eren years ago as friends, so I see it as him trying to save him from what he sees as a mirror of himself. As usual drop a review. Let us Begin.**

Stohess-Wyvern

James and Annie neared the wall that blocked them from freedom, and noticed the large amount of scouts in this section of the city. While this was the most direct way out aside from him ramming the gate, which he refused to do for _personal_ reasons, he didn't like that he and Annie had to still fight. What he also noticed was the loud roar that echoed from behind him, where he left his farewell to Eren telling him how he chose wrong.

He heard a massive set of crashes and felt whatever was causing them getting _closer_ before he finally turned his head. What he saw surprised, annoyed, and impressed him all at the same time.

 _Eren_ was leaping and lunging towards him, on only his left leg and both hands. His form had flames dancing lightly across his skin, which also had red crackled lines running up and down his body. His eyes were a bright eerie green, just like his human eyes, but as if amplified. And his teeth were almost like how James were, with the difference being his were all sharp but no bigger than before. He rushed at him and Annie with terrifying speed while emmiting an unnatural bellow even for his usual standard.

James threw Annie out to the side before he was sent sprawling across the pavement face first, Eren's roar blasting in his ears. He just got out from under him when he saw Annie kick Eren back into a few buildings, but he was already rising. She took the chance to angrily throw a hardened strike, but Eren dodged it only to grab her head from behind. James eyes widened as he saw Eren _crush_ her face in his palm, and he began to hear her _scream_.

It unnerved him how pained it sounded, and it made it worse that _she_ was making the sound. It sent James over the edge, and his vision began to turn red as he rose to screech at Eren. He rushes over and sent a haymaker with as much force possible into Eren's chest. It went straight through his body and he tore to the side. Eren let go of her and brought his fists to slam into James face, but he was beginning to lose control. His thoughts began to blur just like that day, and James began to feel only two emotions: Pain..and an overwhelming amount of _anger._

 _The same anger he felt when Annie was mauled by the black wolf._

 _The same anger when he killed Krista's would be rapist._

 _The pain he felt after watching his parents bodies go limp._

 _The same anger as he pulled rubble from Eve's body all those years ago._

 _The anger and betrayel he felt as he realized humanity has tried to chain him up even more than he already felt._

An unimaginable, savage animal anger that began to cloud his already primal mind.

He roared and threw Eren, then leapt at him and began bringing his fists down on his skull. As it got pummed into a bloody mess, it began to regenerate at an unusual rate. He kept at it, and those who were watching began to widen their eyes in shock as they saw what was happening now.

James skin was beginning to crackle and line with blue marks along the crevices of his armor, and his eyes shine an electric blue with the same intensity as Eren's. He doesn't seem to notice, and roars for Annie to leave over the wall. She doesn't resist this time and begins to latch onto the wall, her face still heavily damaged from Eren's abuse. The scouts around her snap to and mobilize to prevent her from escaping. She hears a slam below her and then feels teeth clamp down on her calf. She looks to see Eren tearing at her limb, while he only has one arm now and still one leg.

She tries to kick him off but he holds on tight, which with their combined weight stops her from continuing upwards. She hears a loud roar as Eren suddenly falls, taking half her leg with him. She struggles from the pain for a moment, and sees that James throw Eren into a building, and his anger is showing even more as he recklessly charges forward teeth first to attack. Eren staggers but still gets up and they begin to trade deadly, hard hitting blows. Eren's blows don't affect James as much as his do to him, since he still has his armored hide. However the force behind them are enough to knock James back while Eren heals his unprotected form.

Annie watching too much that she almost doesn't notice _Mikasa_ zip past her head to slice at her hand. She doesn't pay it any attention since they were both hardened, and goes to keep climbing when her eyes widen at what happens next. Mikasa flys past and slices just _below_ where the fingers crystalized, effectivley cutting her fingers off at the knuckles. She has nothing to hold on to the wall, and with a shocked pained look, falls.

Mikasa lands on her face, showing no emotion as she tells the shifter. " _It's over Annie. Now fall."_

Annie watches the sky get further and further away as she head to the ground, and feels utter defeat for the first time in her life. She thinks of her father, his last words to her back when she left to begin this mission.

" _Annie, I'm so sorry. I don't expect you to forgive me...but please. Please just"_

She slams into the ground and hears two loud but unique sounds fill her ears from both sides. A high, insane animal screech on her right, and a deep but loud bellow of anger on her left, but she still hears her father's voice in her head, clear as day.

" _Stand your ground! Stand your ground even if the whole world stands against you!"_

James tackles and bites Eren as he goes for Annie, then drags him back and punches with all his might at his former friends head. He begins tearing at his limbs while screaming at him " _IF YOU KILL HER, I'LL DESTROY THE WHOLE FUCKING WORLD AND EVERYTHING YOU LOVE!!!!"_

 _'You were right father, this world does stand against me, against our kind. But not Him, he fights for me, to protect me. He's fighting his friends, his family to keep me safe, even if it means becoming a monster to do so. I'm sorry I didn't follow your advice before, but I'm glad I didn't. If I had, then we would have never met. I'm sorry if I don't make it back today, but I'm happy that I was able to feel loved'_ Annie thinks, as a few tears fall from her human face.

What she doesn't know is her Titan mimics her actions, but they go unseen by those around her. Their attention is on the now decapitated cadaver of Eren's Titan form, which is devoid of all it's limbs. Satisfied that Eren poses no threat, they watch as James roars and begins to crawl like some beast towards Annie, growling out to her " _Grab on, it's time to leave."_ She shakes her head slightly and holds up her hands, which are all missing her fingers. _'I cant'_ she rasped, sounding defeated.

He growls louder and tells her " _No matter what, trust me."_ as he latches on to her body with his feet talons. Her eyes widen as he suddenly grins with that terrifying face of his, and digs deep into her sides with the claws.

The scouts all begin to encircle them and he sits atop her damaged body, and he prepares to do something he's _craved_ to for _5 long years now._ Hange watches from the roof with Jean and Armin as Mikasa tries to get out of their hold and get Eren when the section leader speaks up.

"It looks like you two were right, we were outmatched from the start. He's defeated Eren and we barely have a force to try and slow them down. I don't know if he intends to carry her out on his back when her hands heal, but we can still try to slow them by slicing the skin between his joints. Hopefully we can delay them long enough to aim enough cannons to force a surrender." She finishes but Jean shakes his head and tells her.

"We won't make it that far, he might just go _though_ the gate instead of climbing. It's his best option right now, but I don't know why he didn't just do that from the start." Mikasa speaks up at his question with a hard tone.

"Because even if he's lied to us all his life, _that_ would make him just like the Armored. He decieved and betrayed all of us, but I was there when the Armored rammed the gate, that was the truth. I saw James wailing and pick up his own sister when he pulled her from the rubble. It would probably drag up that memory if he did it."

Armin says "If it would affect him that bad then _it is possible_ he truly doesn't _want_ to fight us, but merely- wait... _what's he doing?_ " They all return their eyes to James and Annie, the later was still underneath the plated body clinging to her with clawed feet. They see James duck slightly and move his arms as if to embrace them both, when he quickly opens them back up. Their eyes, the eyes of everyone who sees widen and jaws drop as they comprehend the sight before them.

Two massive flaps of leather like skin hang from James arms, all the way from his hands to shoulders and past his fingers. They spread far enough to completely envelop his body if he were to try, but he instead gives a roar that sounds like _victory_.The same thought crosses all their minds, but Armin is the only one to say anything.

"He has _wings, he..he can fly out of here."_

James roars loudly as he surveys them all, and begins to flap his powerful arms up and down. With no resistance he and Annie begin to rise, with her clutched between his feet and body like a bird carrying a fish. A deep hissing like noise begins to be heard by them all, and to the cadets it sounded like _laughter_. Hange doesn't even order for the scouts to try and ground him, because in less than a minute he's already higher than their gear can reach. He flies overhead and takes one last sweep with his eyes before he turns and banks for the wall. He soars clear over it as if he's done it before, and the rest of the soldiers are too stunned to even begin chase.

As he flew over wall Sina towards wall rose, James felt something. It was more than just the primal victory he gained fighting eren. It was more than the relief that he felt knowing Annie was safe. James felt something he wanted years ago, as he sat atop wall Maria pondering his mission, and family.

James felt _free_


	45. 45 Aftermath-Flight

**Glad that you guys and gals enjoyed the last chapter. Hope it came out alright with descriptions and such, and cast was in character as much as possible. Lil'Manuel.G and GuineaPigOP That's actually what gave me the idea of making a winged shifter in the first place lol. Originally I was going to have him be more ground based and reptillain, like Zilla from Godzilla 98, but I remembered Pacific rim and seeing Otachi. Glad someone else caught that! EverydayWeaboo I know it must be hard, I too want a happy ending in this and the real story, but _this is AoT_ we're reading here lol. This is far from over, so i do promise to make a happy ending for this story, but I'm also thinking of _quite a twist._ Not sure if I'll do it, but I'm thinking about it as a possible alternative epiloque when that time comes. So this chapter will take place just after the escape and begin to lead into the southern arc. Now there will be a difference here than when it happens in the show. The Stohess Raid took place during the twelve hours _after_ the events of the season 2 opening. It was a little confusing when I first saw it but made sense after. Those events in season two _here_ will take place _after_ the raid instead, meaning that Sasha, Reiner and the rest are all alive and cut off away from the rest of the scouts. Just wanted to clarify that for the next 5 chapters, which will lead into the Clash of the Titans Arc. this Arc will be known as the Aftermath Arc, and it's hopefully short. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

Aftermath-Flight

 _'I'_ _ve wanted to do this for soooooo long! I love the feeling it gives my wings, oh how I've missed the wind!!'_ James thinks as he soars through the air with glee, careful not to drop Annie in his excitement. His dredlocks flow past his head, and his tongue sticks out to the side like a dog, but he doesn't care. _He's free._ Annie's regenerated her fingers, and now he doesn't have to claw up her sides to keep hold, since she can just grip onto his chest. They're heading towards the forest of giant trees that resides inside Wall Rose, though it is considerably smaller than it's counterpart in Wall Maria.

He calls out to her " _We're going to be landing inside the forest for a few hours, and we'll make one last stop before we head for your village."_ She looks confused for a moment and questions his last statement with a small hiss. " _Why are we stopping? They',ll be searching for us soon, even after the toll it took them to try and stop us. Where are you stopping at?"_

He stays silent and they enter the border of the forest where he hovers in place to drop her onto a large branch, before landing on one next to her. He signals to exit their Titans, and she mirrors him as she emerged from her Titans nape. They both pull themselves out and walk across the huge tree limb until they're in each other's embrace. He pulls away and sees that she still waits for an answer, he closed his eyes and sighed.

"I still need to say goodbye Annie, even after all I've done today. I never got the chance to because of Marco, I figured he would've told them from hearing the reports about me going rogue during the expedition. So I decided not to return at all, it would've been like walking into my own ambush again." She nods a little, starting to understand what he might be planning next. He gestured for them to sit on the branch and continues.

"I stayed near the scouts though, observing their movements from afar, where they were headed. Marco must've told them about you, Reiner and Bert knowing my secret as well, which is why they suspected _you._ I noticed that after they returned they split into two groups, presumably the rest of our friends are in the other since we didn't see them in Stohess.

 _But_ I don't think they know about us, because I think they would've refused to fight us. Only those who knew the plan were there, so it has to mean only _some_ of them know _everything_. Which means I can still sneak in and say goodbye before they link back up with the rest of the scouts. I'd rather them know our side of the story first before theirs, because then they'll understand why we have to go.

And..it'll be easier this way. I made the mistake of leaving my family years ago out of the blue, and regretted it ever since. I'm just trying to do this the way I know I can live with. I know where they are, or rather I _know how to find them._ It'll take a few hours, _a day_ _at most_ , but I promise it'll be quick Annie. Then I'll fly us straight to your village. Please?" He asks, and Annie stays silent, thinking to herself.

 _'Its not seeing them that's the problem, it's that I won't be able to signal Reiner or Bert without him noticing something's odd. I hope he hasn't already begun to suspect them, otherwise this could end in utter chaos.'_ She pictures the reveal in her head, be it a slip of the mouth from someone, or James putting it together on his own. The rage, the hurt, the betrayel...and she would again be part of it. Because she knew who his families killers were and never told him.

But there was _another_ pressing matter on her mind than lies being revealed, _the Be_ _ast Titan._ It was _here in the walls,_ possibly heading further in, towards one of the cities, or the scout group out there separated from the rest. She knows Reiner and Bertoldt _need_ to know this, but how could she tell them without revealing themselves? An idea forms in her head, a spark of hope. _'I'll get James to tell them. Then I can signal from behind him to keep playing the part. Then they will know we have to move quickly, getting our friends out of there, and that we have to return home now.'_

It was daring, but so was her other plan to convince James to come with her. Annie knew it was a longshot, but one that looked very promising to her. It was time to start the plan, as she turned to talk to him.

"James I understand what you want to do, but there is another thing we need to talk about The reason behind why I was sent here for the Coordinate." His ears perked up a little and he looks at her to go on. She obliges him, and continues.

"Listen James, the outside world is _many_ times bigger than the world you know inside the walls. There used to be settlements of both human _and_ Shifter about a hundred years ago, who lived in peace. But around this time there came to be a great enemy, the enemy responsible for the creation of the Titans. We call them the Furred Giants, or hairy Titans sometimes. Anyway, when they first appeared and began changing people into the mindless creatures we kill, one of our kind who was a coordinate, chose to use its power to construct the massive walls. He used it to _only_ seal in the humans, and anyone _human or shifter_ whowas left outside, were left at the hands of the haired giants."

She pauses to let the information sink into his highly intelligent brain, and from his expression, he's disgusted at this individual for doing such a thing. _'How could a person just let innocent people die, even your own kind?'_ He asked himself, and tells Annie to keep going.

"Now for a hundred years we who were left outside waged a bloody war against these creatures, not winning but not losing either. We simply survived, until about 10 years ago, a _new_ variant appeared among the haired ones. This one could _speak_ and had frightening intelligence. It led it's Titans like an army instead of animals, and we began to suffer heavy losses. Entire villages that were once able to last _weeks or months_ now were wiped out in _hours or days. We_ tried to plead with the wall king, who claimed to still have the power, but he refused. He killed our messengers, and declared that if we persisted, he would wage war on shifter kind."

James face is downright angry at the threat of war, and Annie fears what she will tell him next, if he'll go berserk on her for knowing this. She feels her words get stuck in her mouth, and swallow as she tells him "Our people raised me and a few others to become warriors and take the coordinate by _force_. And so 5 years ago... _we attacked Wall Maria."_ James froze at her last sentence, and he studies her scared, shameful face. She's avoiding looking at him, just like in the forest when there were captured. Her frame shakes slightly from fear and anxiety as his gaze bored into hers, and he doesn't give any initial reaction at first.

She watches as he calmly stands, walking over to the trunk of the tree they are on. He looks blankly at the wood for a moment, and violently strikes it with his right hand, breaking several of his fingers and showing blood from his knuckles. She yells in surprise. " _James_! What-" but stops when he turns to face her, and her blood runs cold. His face is one of pure anger, his eyes and pupils almost absent as he looks at her with deep hurt and betrayel. He turns back to the tree and strikes it with his left hand with even greater force, and snaps his wrist, which she winces as she sees the bone jutting through his skin. He doesn't yell, doesn't grunt in pain, nor give any reaction at the physical harm he just inflicted on himself.

He turns and sits down on the trunk closing his eyes, and takes a couple of deep breathes. She watches his hands and arm steam as they heal, and she stays silent until finally he speaks. " _What else are you hiding from me Annie? And **don't** **lie**."_ He growls out the last part with barely restrained anger at her, trying not to lash out at her for something that is driving his mind back into that predator mode he unleashed on Eren just a few hours ago.

She looks down in shame again, and begins to apologize. "I...James _I'm sorry_ , but I couldn't tell you until we were already leaving. I knew you would lose it if I told you earlier, and I didn't want you to do anything that you would regret later on. I did it to protect you, just like you-"

" _You knew the identities of my families killers and hid it from me!!_ There's a difference Annie!!" He yells out as he slams his healed hand into the wood, breaking it again. He growls as he watches the flesh steam and repair itself. She starts to get angry as she stands to face him.

" _Yeah I know its different, but I did what I had to!! It's not just us whose lives are on the line here James, the lives of everyone back home, the people on the walls, It all sits on my shoulders!_ _You have no idea how hard it's been for me to do this!_ "

He looks at her, and sighed as tells her " _Then make m_ _e understand. Please don't lie to me anymore."_


	46. 46 Aftermath-Answers

**Alright this might be uploaded before or a few days after my internet goes out, but I promise to post the rest of the chapters when I have a stable connection. I know the last chapter was short but I'm making it up in this one. I recommend playing "Something about us" By Daft Punk halfway through. Helps set the mood of the later half a little. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

Aftermath-Answers

"It's...complicated James. I'll try my best to explain it all, but I have _one_ condition." Annie tells him and he raises his eyebrow at her, waiting to hear it.

"I can't tell you their identites _yet,_ but I _promise_ _I will when the time is right._ I need to know that you won't kill them without giving them a chance to explain themselves. They didn't want this any more than I did, but like me they didn't have a choice. _Please_ , just listen to what I have to say." James narrows his eyes and stays silent, pondering her request in his head.

 _'Like that's going to happen, I promised I would Kill the Armored if I ever found him again, devour him. How can she expect me to believe or sympathize with him or the Colassal?! They've brought nothing but death and pain to not only me, but my friends and family. Why-"_ But James stops midthought as he recalls the last time he saw both of the bastards, in Trost and Shinganshina.

He remembered that when he attacked the Collassal moments after it appeared again in Trost, how he'd seen _emotion_ in it's face. _Guilt_ for what it had done, and now that he thinks about it, it had the _same_ look when it appeared outside his home years ago. He then thinks about the Armored, trying to hold off the anger rising from within him as he pictured its face, remembering it's voice, what it said to him.

" _I'm here to help my people. They are outside the walls suffering because these cowards refuse to help! I have no choice, I must break the walls"._

 _"You wont stop me from saving them, I have no choice!"_

Those words had angered him greatly that day, as he remembers roaring defiance at the hulking shifter. _'It said it had no choice, but why didn't it try to negotiate like I did? Why did it chose to destroy the gate anyway? Is..is it really that bad out there?'_

He shook his head and came to a conclusion, _'I'll listen for now, I'll hear their side of the story. I'll keep my promise to Annie, but if I ever find out who they are, Hell will be unleashed. They Will Know Pain, even if I don't get to kill them.'_ He looks to Annie who is watching him intently, and he sighed.

"Alright, I'll listen to you about them. But Annie, don't let me meet them until we arrive at your home. I'm not sure I can handle who they are, especially if I know them. I don't want more harm to happen to these walls, to our friends. I can promise to listen, but I can't promise I won't stop thinking of killing them. That's the best I can offer you. And now, it's time for me to hear you out."

She looks anxiously at him, but finally agrees to his "promise". She sighs, she knew he would always hate them as Titans, but maybe he could understand the human side of them. Like how he did hers, and how she understood _his_ primal side.

"Ever since we started this mission years ago, it's been nothing but hard decisions. We lost one of our own, a close friend, on the journey here. Then when we destroyed the walls, the Collosal and Armored Titans expressed deep regret at what they were forced to do. The Armored couldn't handle the knowledge of killing your sister, and..the Collosal gained more grief at the knowledge of killing your parents. They-"

" _So I know them, they're our friends, our fellow soldiers. I told them about me, didn't I?"_ He interrupts her, and the grim nod she gives him makes him take more deep breathes to keep calm. It was worse now knowing that they were possibly people he _knew_ well, or _so he thought_. He shook his head and asked her to continue.

"And then when we finally enlisted, when we met you all, the weight of what we did felt even heavier on us. I only brought them to the walls, but I feel the same guilt they do, even if I didn't participate in the attacks. They decided to act like them, to be human, in order to live with what they did. I tried to stay away from everyone, I knew that someday I might be forced to kill them, but it seems it wasn't going to be that easy. That was when _You_ talked to me.." She smiled slightly at the memory, and James began to think about it as well.

( _Play Something about Us by Daft Punk here)_

He remembers how bored she looked, how she'd chosen to be more of a loner than interact with the others. Maybe that's why she was so shocked when he wanted to get to know her then, because she hadn't been planning on it. He remembered how angry she had been at being called a liar, when he questioned about why she was there. And even more shocked at his respect for her wanting to be alone, only for _her_ to seek _his_ company a day or two after. A sudden thought popped into his head, a memory of that night, and the conversation a few days after.

"Did you know then?" He asks, and she looks confused at his question. He clarified, "Did you know I was a shifter back then?" She shook her head at him.

"No, but I had hope that you were. What really caught my attention when we first met was what you mumbled under your breathe when I blew you off. " _I guess warriors aren't that common._ " I knew no one in the walls knows the true meaning of that word. They don't use it, only our kind use the title to refer to themselves. So when you mentioned it, it caught my interest. That you would use it to describe _yourself_ and how you would see some people, as the years went by.

But I began to suspect it more the day you told me about your family, on the anniversary. It was after you fought Mikasa, when you went into the woods to be alone. I saw your little declaration at the lake, that the hand you cut healed. And I finally knew for sure when you asked to be with me, at the same lake, much later. I was by myself, thinking about where my life was at that point, when you came strolling by for a swim.

I hid and watched till you came out and stabbed your hand on that log. I was ready to help when i saw the steam again. I knew then what you were, and your story began to make more sense, the puzzle pieces fit perfectly in place. I was so happy that we could be together as _equals_. But.." She stops, and James waits as she clears her mind to continue talking.

 _"I couldn't tell you, as much as I wanted to then._ I thought you would've grown suspicious about me, I thought you would've questioned me on how I knew, if I was one myself. I was afraid you would've stopped loving me if you knew _who I was,_ _what I've done,_ especially to _you_." Her voice breaks, and James can see that this is taking a toll on her, and his anger begins to crumble.

He gets up and walks over to her and pulls her into a hug, before walking them both to the trunk. She begins to cry, and the sound of it once again pulls at his heart. He can't stay angry at her, seeing the weight of all this hurting her this bad, that _he's_ hurt her like this. He understands the mental stress he's unknowingly put her through, but is still angry at the other two shifters. ' _Who could they be?_ ' He asks himself, still not having an answer.

" _I'm sorry, I'm sorry, i-"_ But James holds her closer. Her body begins to shake as she sobs, and he tries calm her, talking low into her ear.

" _Annie, it's alright. I'm not..mad at you. I understand why you did what you did, but I'm not going to forgive the other two. Not until I hear it from them, or find out who they are. And even then, I don't think I ever could, but...Annie, but I forgive You. Please stop crying, it hurts for me to hear you cry. Please_ _Annie, calm down its...it's gonna be alright."_

Her cries continue, and James keeps her in his arms as he leans against the tree. He takes a deep sigh, his anger leaving to another more reclusive part of his mind. For now all he could do was wait until tomorrow, he knew they had enough time tonight to rest. Since he's revealed his glorious wings, they now know he can go anywhere he wanted and they couldn't stop him. It would help them reach their friends faster before leaving for her village, so he decided they could take a break.

He sits there craddleing her in his arms until she starts calming down, his shirt and chest wet from her tears. Its getting darker out, and he notices her breathing slowing back to a steady rate. He gently asks her, his voice more calm and soothing. " _Annie_ , _are you ok_?" He waits for an answer, and she lifts her face to see him. Her eyes are filled with guilt, and pain. They were ringed red, much like the night he had saved Krista from the kidnappers. They were red from crying so much, both times for him, though this time it was more emotional of an outburst from her to him. She tries to speak, but has to swallow when the words get stuck in her throat.

" _Do you really forgive me?"_ She asks in a whisper, and it reminds him of how she looked when he confessed that he cared about her on the Fall of Maria anniversary. " _Do you still..care about me? Even after what I've.."_

James takes her face in his hands, and she puts one of hers on his. He looks her in the face with the same fire and care in his eyes the day he told her how he felt. "Annie, I promised you, _I will always care about you_. I told you, I would understand even if it was something bad. I promise: I Love you, no matter what."

He slowly wipes away the tears trailing down from her eyes at his words, and he places a kiss on her lips. Annie was surprised, but grateful for it, _for him._ She could feel the raw passion behind the kiss, even in her broken state. He'd promised, and she knew that he would keep it, even if she were the bad person. But she would'nt say that about herself to him anymore, because she knows he'd declare himself as one and not give a damn if it helped make her feel better. As long as they were together, she would be happy with him.

The one thing she had yearned for and received since she had known him. _Happiness_ _and_ _Love._ She never believed it would last, but here now, with the blood of many on their hands, the weight of their sins in their minds, they still stayed at each other's side. Just like the day she first hugged him, she felt a warmth that melted the cold she had endured most of her life. A warmth that he gave, that she could hold onto forever in this cruel world.

She'd liked that.


	47. 47 Aftermath-Goodbyes

**Al** **right glad to see a few reviews for the more mellow arc I'm doing now, don't worry, it won't be super long before we get the _next_ major reveal. Also there will be scouts oriented set of chapters to explain their actions in Stohess and on the expedition, and one or two to show where they're heading now. Don't worry, I have been thinking about it, and they reasons why, or so it _seems_. Hopefully it's acceptable as a possibility if this were canon, but it's not something I thought of immediately. But i do promise that it will be longer and more thought out when it happens. Also will have a perspective change to the other group in the future during the southern arc, it's my first time trying that out so I hope I do good with staying in character. Im updating Awakening in about a day or two, and I'm also going to be working on a Monster Musume fic if anyone here likes that. Will be posted in about a week or so, maybe I'll see some of you there as well. Just thought I'd let you all know. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

Aftermath-Goodbyes

James was flying through the interior of Wall Rose, as Annie hitched a ride on his nape while holding onto his dreads to stay put. She had to admit he was a graceful flier for such a large being, but then again she never knew that a shifter, much less _he_ could do this. She's seen varying types of abilities among their people, from the hardened armor Reiner had all over, that James _also_ possessed, to the very agile and fast form that Marcel was once capable of. Then again she's seen how fast and agile James could be, leaping over buildings or performing complex combat techniques on titans. But never had she seen an ability like his, of _flight_ , it was probably the first time it's appeared in their kind. In her perspective, he literally was a deadly and efficient predator in all senses, but not a _monster unless you made him act like one._

' _Maybe_ _that's why he looked so at ease on Odm gear back in their training days',_ as she smiles, remembering the joyful face he would have, at flying through the air at such a dangerous height. Many things were beginning to fit better know that she knew more about not only him, but his Titan form as well. To her it seemed like they were the almost exactly same being at times, but others it seemed the Titan had a mind of its own. They were two unique beings, but shared the same body and mind.

James had the sheer will to keep control, to make the human part of him show in this form. But the _Titan_ would appear at times, when he would fight, or when he would move in a certain way. It surfaced and took control to do what James needed to do at times, even when he wasn't in it. She remembers the look he had as he tore out the black wolf's throat, what Krista said she saw the night they were kidnapped, and from the scars all over his body. All while being human, but sharing the mind of his other form while in his normal one. It was _animalistic_ , _primal_ , downright _scary_ at times.

But she understands it, she _respects_ it, just like he respected and understood her even back in their training days. Because it was still him, or at least a part of him to her. It was an interesting mix to say the least, but it was one she was more than happy to be apart of. After all it was always there to protect and love her, even if it acted monstrous to others. she shook her head and looked around at the unique sight before her.

She saw just how high up they were, the wall was nearly 30 meters below them to their left as he flew towards the direction he'd spotted the other group heading a few days ago. James also told her that Dauper was this way, residing in a forest, and if they recalled correctly Connie's village, Ragako, was about ten miles ahead of them. She saw him begin to descend towards a set of buildings, some of which were crushed, as if something heavy had hit them, like _giant bodies._

" _What the hell?"_ Annie mumbled low as James came to rest atop one of the more solid and least damaged structures. He saw a dead horse lying on the rooftop near him, it looked like it had been _thrown_ , and he turned to look at her with his massive slits in confusion. He gave a low whine as they looked around for anyone else. ' _What could've done that, no, what **would** do that? What's the point?'_ he thought to himself.

They both saw the area was abandoned, and she guessed his thoughts. _'Was this damage the work of Titans? But how would they be inside Wall Rose? We decided to call off any other attacks since we found James and Eren, so why are there signs of them here? Reiner and Bert just want to go home, they don't want any more death. So why are these telling me they're inside?'_ Shaking her head she called out to James.

"This looks like Titans, but I don't know how. We decided we didn't need to continue the attack since we found you and Eren, so I don't know why or how the wall could be breached. There's no reason behind it, I don't know how.." She trails of as a new, horrifying thought came to her mind. _There was a way they could be inside here, because something has the power to make them._ Annie recalled words she heard when she began to follow the 57th Expedition, when she hid in the forest.

 _"Ah well, today I shall visit them as I go further in_ " Words spoken from the enemy to her people, to all of them.

' _The_ _Beast Titan, his words to me...he's inside the wall!!'_ She called out to him again, this time her voice was more urgent. "James, we have to find the others quickly! I'll explain when we're back in the air, but we need-" She stopped to see a pile of blood and gore on the ground, still fresh from the heavy stench in the air. She asks James to bring her closer, and she can just make out a jacket under the mess, a _scouts jacket_. Her eyes widen as sees the discarded swords nearby, and a broken set of ODM gear a few feet away. She urges to James, "We have to go, _NOW_!"

James complies and in less than a minute they're already rising back to the altitude they were before, heading now in the direction of Dauper. Ragako wasn't much further from where they were now, so he decided to bank slightly and head there first instead. There was a possibility that the other scouts could have regrouped there if they _had_ encountered Titans. Even if they were long gone, it was his best chance of finding them. If they _had_ stopped there, he could pick up one of their scents and follow it to them. His sense of smell was much better in this form than in his human form, though it too was more sensitive, more _trained,_ than a normal persons. He's brought out of his musings by Annie trying to talk to him.

"James I think it might be the Beast Titan! The day of the expedition it spoke at me, saying it would be "going further in". Then it set that horde that took out the right flank after me. I think it's inside Wall Rose, it must've breached the wall or created more titans _inside_ from humans! We need to hurry and find the others, we have to warn them!" Annie yells out to him, trying to be heard over the wind blowing last them. He bobs his head a little at her words, careful not to knock her off since they're flying. His thoughts start to become distressed, and he begins to picture his friends, no, _his families_ smiling faces in his head.

 _'Please, just let them all be alright. Sasha, Connie, Reiner Bert...please just be alive.'_ he thinks as he continues his flight, and begins to see the outline of a village. His heart drops when he noticed that the village was damaged, that it was _empty_. He lands and calls out in his Titan form, though it wouldn't he understandable to anyone who wasn't a shifter. " _Connie! Sasha, anyone?!"_ His answer was a low groan of pain, that he went to investigate as Annie shifted into her form to protect herself, just in case this was an ambush.

He crawls forward on all fours till he arrived at an oddly formed Titan that lay in a destroyed home, it's small limbs showing him that it couldn't move. He saw it had yellowish eyes, and it seemed to be stuck where it lay. He looked around and saw other homes were smashed as well, but they all shared the same odd detail. _'The were smashed from the_ inside _out. They..they must've been turned while they were in their homes, and everyone else either ran or was evacuated. Someone has to have made it out, there's no blood or bodies anywhere..'_

He takes a moment to observe the Titan before him, and for some odd reason it looked familiar. It was feminine, though not as clearly as Annie's form was. Ithad long straw colored hair, and that eyes.. _No_ he's seen _those eyes_. His own eyes widen as he calls out to Annie in a distressed time. She rushes over looking around for enemies, and asks " _What's wrong, did you find anything? Titans, or the villagers?"_ And he simply points to the Titan laying on the house.

She looks at it, not really seeing anything important, but noting it's under formed arms and legs. She gives a confused rasp to James, " _What's so special about it? I don't see it."_ He responds slowly, as if the words are hard to say. " _Look closer at it's eyes, it's face..and tell me what you see. Who it reminds you of.."_ She obliges and sees the yellowish eyes, the hair, face shape.. _'I_ _t almost looks like..'_

Her eyes widen as she takes a step back, and begins to urgently ask with James. " _You don't think that's **Connie** do you?! You haven't caught his scent on it, have you?"_

He shakes his head, and replies in a low moan, showing he's pained at something he knows from this. " _No, I haven't, not on this one. It is around here though, maybe about as far back as we sit, but he's definitley been here. Reiner and Bertoldt too, but they all stopped here before heading towards the Wall again. At least we have a good idea where they're heading now. But before we go after them, we need to hit Dauper first, it's closer than the Wall Rose is. If the others scents aren't here, it either means they split up to warn others...or.."_

He doesn't finish the dark and morbid thought, but it still works its way into both their minds and they flinch at it. She asks him " _So why does this titan look familiar? Why does it look like Connie if his scent leaves here? I don't know what to think, but do you?"_ James gives her a pained look, and regretfully reveals his hypothesis to her waiting face. His low moan sounds deeply hurt, as if he has doesn't want to to say what he thinks, even if it's who it most likely is .

" _Because..I think it's his mother._ "


	48. 46 Aftermath-The Defeated

**Alright here is the first scouts orientated chapter, taking place before Stohess but after the 57th expedition. Also to guest reader, the Curse of Ymir will _not_ be in this story. This story doesn't have Marley, Eldians, or only the power of 9. And it diverges greatly from Canon, so if you want a canon one, My story Awakening is your thing. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

Aftermath- The Defeated.

 _The_ _night after the 57th Expedition_

Eren sat with Hange, Mikasa, Armin, and Jean in a room used to plan and prepare the Scouts expeditions. Captain Levi and his squad were also present in the room, and they all awaited Erwin to join them with the person who claims to know the Mauler _and possibly the Female Titans identity._ Eren wonders why only some of the scouts are in the room, especially those in the 104th, _'Shouldn't everyone be hearing this?'_

The door finally opens and the Commander walks in alongside the supposed informant, who turns out to be... _Marco_? As they all gave confused looks at him, Erwin asks him to take a seat, and begins to speak. "We've been able to identity the Mauler Titan, and we have a new lead that may confirm the identity of the Female titan we encountered as well. It turns out both of them are two of your fellow cadets."

As the words hit them, everyone from the 104 in the room gives gasps to the accusations, except Marco. He's the one who gave up the Mauler's identity, and those who knew it like him, the trio he hung around sometimes. A trio that included the girl he loved, the big brother of the 104, and the tall but sweaty guy they all knew as friends. Eren's gives the biggest reaction, his face in complete disbelief as he tries to process it. " _Who_? You're saying we trained _with_ them, that we _know_ them?! Who are they?"

At this Commander Erwin gives a hard look as he obliges "We've been told with absolute certainty that the Mauler titan and Female Titan..are cadets James Draekon and Annie Leonhardt. Draekon is confirmed from Mr Bodt's confession, and we have good reason to suspect Cadet Leonhardt is the Female Titan. I know that this is hard to accept-" but Eren cuts him off as he starts questioning Marco.

"What the hell Marco? How could you even _think_ they're the Mauler and Female titans? We know them, there's no way that they would do that to us!" But Marco gives a determined but sad look as he tells Eren.

"Because James told me himself, during Trost. It was after you placed the boulder, I was running gas to squads set inside the city, and was making my way back when I spotted Him, Annie, Bertoldt and Reiner all talking. It seemed that James was telling them some sort of story from the way they were listening to him, so I hid and listened too. I thought I was unnoticed but James came after me out of nowhere, and I tried to flee.

He caught me and held me against a wall, asking about what I might have heard. I told him I heard about him helping seal the gate with you, Eren, and that's when the other three arrived. They were shocked at what seeing us, but it was apparent that he'd told them about himself. James let go of me, and asked that I listen to him, that he would explain. I wanted to know, after all I never figured him for an _enemy_ , so I listened. He began to tell all four of us his life story, about his training, his isolation in and _outside_ of the walls, and the battles he fought for humanity.

He talked about how he failed to stop the Armored Titan in your guy's town, how he stayed in the wild till he joined up with all of us. He also told me why the other three knew about him being a Titan. He says he was forced to transform to save Annie, apparently when Trost began they went to the gate to kill as many Titans as possible and evacuate any stragglers.

Annie told me she was almost eaten when James threw her out of the titan's mouth and shifted while inside it's body. You obviously know what happened after, with you teaming up with him to help us get out of there. Her, Reiner and Bertoldt all saw him transform, so when we finally got out of the city he confronted them and convinced them not to tell.

He pleaded with me to keep his identity safe, because he feared persecution from humans. He told me what his mother's final words were, and that's why he hid what he was despite everything he's done to help us. I felt bad for him once I knew everything, so I told him I would keep his secret if he stayed an ally. I had no reason to betray him since he fought for us, but after yesterday, it changed. He killed people on the mission, so I had no other choice. Believe me, it's not what I wanted to do, but I had to."

"And the others, Bert, Reiner, Annie?" Jean asks, not sure what to think about these startling revelations about his comrades. Marco gives him a shrug, and tells his opinion.

"The other 3 only knew a little longer than I did, but I don't think Reiner or Bert know about Annie. From what you and Armin said she nearly killed Reiner when he attacked her. Maybe she didn't know it was him and just reacted to someone attacking her."

Eren speaks up, mainly for Annie's defense since he knows Marco isn't one to lie, much less something like this. "So we know for certain that James is the Mauler, but we aren't sure about Annie. I mean if she knew about him why would she attack us, wouldn't she know he'd transform if he saw her as a threat to us?"

Armin speaks up to his friend "I'm not sure why she attacked us out there, but Eren it fits together. All the evidence points to her, and even if she's _not_ , she knew who he was and kept it secret. So did Reiner and Bertoldt, they kept vaulable information from all of us that we could've used."

"Well I _think_ i can understand why, I mean he asked me to trust him when he chose not to reveal himself. But he was there at the trial, they all were, they spoke for my defense! That doesn't mean they're enemies if they would try and protect me!"

Mikasa cuts across him with a tone of impatience, and he stops to look at her. "Eren just think for a moment. You didn't see how James and I reacted to you being beat, but he was as furious as I was. He looked ready to _kill_ someone if they would've sentenced you die. _He's dangerous._

He might've been on our side then but he isn't anymore. You saw him kill our fellow soldiers, and you saw her come for you. He may not have known about her, but he knew what he was doing when he swatted scouts away like flies. It's them, you know it. You _know_ she took out the right flank before she was chased by him, and you saw _him_ kill people right in front of you."

Before Eren could respond, Hange interjects. "Actually Mikasa, I've been wanting to elaborate on that. Though I won't deny the actions of the Mauler Titan, there seems to be another force at play here. When we caught both them-"

"Hold on a second, there's one thing I want to know. _Why were there traps designed for two Titans, including..James?_ We agreed during my trial that he was an ally, and though we didn't know he would turn on us, why were you ready to capture him before he did?" Eren asks, almost demandingly.

The question passes through the other people in the room, and even Mikasa looks curious about this. _'Why did they set traps for him?'_ Hange looks to Erwin and gives a sigh, and everyone else looks to him now.

"As I told Eren when he was awaiting his tribunal, due to the unique natures the Armored, Mauler and Collassal Titans displayed we determined them to be Titan shifters as well. We had to consider that they may well have been within our own ranks, posing as humans. In hindsight it was true, but back then it was necassary for us to make contingencies.

Now while we did argue in it's favor in the trial, there was also another angle being played by us in the scouting legion. Just like we used the beating to convince Zachley to give custody over Eren to us, we argued to trust the Mauler Titan, to put them at ease, if he was indeed among our ranks, or in the very courtroom. After all was said and done, Zachley was in favor of trusting both Eren and James. But it was I who ordered in secret after the trial for there to be ways to either capture or contain the Mauler or Eren if they were to go rogue.

Should we have captured it, We would've offered it a place within our ranks, but _under our control._ Nile made a point about not being able to fully trust it based on Eren's word, even if it had proven to be an ally. It already showed it was more than capable of being deadly in have to hand combat in Trost and Shinganshina. It was too great of a risk if it were to turn on us. So I decided to create traps as a means to recruit it, or a deterrent if need be."

Hange spoke up again, this time a little agitated "Yes it was a possibility we prepared for, and yes it was needed on the expedition, but it may have proven to be the worst move we made. When we did capture them after their rampage, James displayed _extreme_ anger at the Female Titan and him being restrained. He tore out of them with an unusual method, but the result was the same, he was bloodthirsty _, and free._

We ordered to immobilize him, and he immediately.. _disposed_ of the scouts sent forth before turning his attention to the Female. His rage died down as he "talked" with her, but it did show up a few times. I took note of how she reacted to him communicating with her, the facial expressions, sound of tone, that sort of thing. After a few minutes they both were calm, and he was ready to free her, when we started to _smell it."_

" _Smell what?"_ Armin inquires, not following her.

"I'm not sure, but whatever it was began to stink through the forest, reeking of animal fur. Even high up in the trees we could smell it, and that's when things went south. The Female Titan began to cry out in distress, as if she sensed a threat. We heard a _chuckling sound, as_ if we were being watched closely by something, and heard a deep voice say aloud " _Ah two for one. Kill them all._ "

That's when the stampede began, and from the forest dozens of Titans began to rush them. James had then freed her and ordered her to leave. She seemed reluctant, but still listened to him. We watched as he brutally took them out, before deciding to leave ourselves. But there's no way _she_ _brought_ _those_ Titans, which tells me _something else did_. And I fear that whatever it is, is a threat to us as well as _them_."

The dark words made them all shudder and think the same thought.

' _What_ _scare_ s 2 _full sized Titans?'_


	49. 49 Aftermath-City In Flames

**Alright, glad for the positive reviews regarding my first of the scouts orientated chapters featured. To answer some questions, I am thinking of not only adding a few shifters from Eldia but giving 2 other _known_ characters the ability through an interesting method I've been pondering. But if I decide to do it, I'll let it be known in the authors note. 1985: Yes, and I'm thinking of quite an interesting way to intergrate him into the story as both Beast titan and Zeke. The scouts did screw themselves over, but take note of how Hange sees the actions of both them and the shifted in that story, since she's one of my favorites I'm gonna have her be an integral part of the story in later chapters.** **After that one we will get a perspective from a season 2 look, starting with the first episode and leading up to the Clash Arc. As usual drop a** **review, tell me your thoughts so far. Let us begin.**

Aftermath-The City In Flames

 _The_ _night after the Stohess_ _Raid_

What seems like a sense of Deja Vu passes over the scouts as they once again sit in their headquarters, though this time the casualties are not only soldiers, _but civilains well._ The cost of the Stohess battle was nearly _1,000_ people just from the citizens of the city. The other two dozen were from the Scouts own ranks, which crippled their forces once again. Not only was this another failure on their part, but it was one that could've possibly been avoided if it had been better planned.

Eren sat recovering in his bed, Mikasa Armin and Jean all standing around the room, still in shock of all that had transpired. Even knowing beforehand what they could expect, the betrayel of two of their friends stung them hard in the hearts. The ones who seemed to be the least affected were Mikasa and Eren, but Jean seemed to take it hardest. Armin wasn't really sure how he felt, since all he could think about now was what they need to do next.

Jean broke the silence first "So, _wings_ huh? Never thought I'd ever see that in my life.." Armin and the rest agreed with small nods, though Eren hadn't gotten to really see it. He was still trying to exit his nape when James and Annie had left, but the massive amount of trauma and damage James inflicted made it harder to leave the body. Eren didn't believe them when they explained why the pair of traitors had escaped and that no one was going after them. _Since when could Titans fly??_ It actually made him disappointed in a weird way that he didn't get to see it. There was nothing they could do to stop them, _after all how_ _do you fight what you can't reach or catch?_

"I guess he was right all along, about change. We never thought it was possible till it happened right in front to us, _again._ He was right.." Jean continued before Eren cut him off with a bit of anger.

"No, he's wrong. He's a complete hypocrite, and a murdering one at that. He not only lied to us, but he's lying to himself by believing Annie after what she's done. _Going off about change, and yet he's the one who stayed the same. We just never saw it till he showed us.."_

"But Eren, I'm starting to think he didn't, at least about believing whatever Annie told him. You heard Hange about something else attacking the both of them out there, I think they're running from whatever it is. Or at least she is and he's just trying to protect her. From what James said before shifting, I think there's alot more to this that we know. Im not defending him in any way, but I think we should try to remember what he said to us. It might help us understand them more, maybe we can find out more about their motivations."

"Armin, he already said that he's done with saving Humanity, he's no longer with us. _He will kill anyone and anything that gets in his way, maybe even his friends if he's pushed that far._ We already know what he's about now, what more is there to understand?" Mikasa tells him with firm tone and hard stare at her childhood friend. She goes to continue but surprisingly Jean speaks up to defend Armin.

"I'm not so sure Mikasa, I know I want to know more about what's going on in their heads. Something's not right if he said that to you guys, because he had the chance to squash me and Armin and he didn't take it. He actually looked right at Armin as if he wanted to make a point, even if it was.. _gory_ to get across. Hange said the same thing when he grabbed her."

Eren interrupts him, surprised at the near death experience that he's just now hearing. "Hold on, you said he almost _killed you two?_ And Hange?! Why didn't he? I thought he was ready to fight us if we got in his way.." when a new voice sounds from the doorway, and other said near death victim walks in.

"That's because I'm not so sure _he_ even knows why he's fighting, Eren.They are right about how we all were in Draekon's hands..but here we are, unharmed. A little shaken up, but otherwise fine." She took a place leaning against the wall opposite Jean. Eren doesn't believe it, he's seen James get bloodthirsty in his titan form, ' _W_ _hy would he hold back all of a sudden, especially after declaring his betrayel?'_

"When the operation went south with both of them transforming, we still managed to once again trap both of them, this time on their stomachs. Now while both were angry, I still managed to get close enough to talk with him. I gave orders to not harm them, and I began to try and reason with James. I told him his options, about fighting and possibly causing the deaths of his friends, or just letting us take them in. I also told him how I noticed their actions in the forest, as well as there being something else out there that was a threat to us all."

"And how did he take that?" Mikasa inquired, guessing the result even if she knew it already. Hange tilted her head at the girls tone, and told her.

"Actually, he seemed to be listening to what I was saying. I could tell from he way his eyes widened at certain parts, but he still kept quiet. He kept his eyes on me, and I was certainly close enough for him to hear. When Leonhardt escaped and cut him free, ibtried to get back but he grabbed me. I though he was going to kill me from the odd chuckling noise he made, and the smile he gave me after looking at the remains of his trap. I was ready for the death strike, but..he didn't do it.

He set me on a rooftop, and...nodded with _respect to me._ I am lost couldn't believe it, but he made the small laughing sound again and left after the Female. He had the chance to squash me like a bug, just like with you two, but he chose not to. I can't explain it, and..I still think there's something at play here. But until we find out what it is we need to plan our next move. The southern group has the other members of your class, as well as the other two who knew James and Annie's identities, or at least one of them. We need to start questioning them as well. We might get some answers to the new questions we're getting."

They all nod slowly, but they know the road ahead is going to be even rockier. After all they not only had the danger of two dangerous shifters being set loose, but the startling revelations of there being _Titans within the walls._

During the initial cleanup of the city, a section of wall that had been pierced by the Female Titan had fallen off. What it revealed was a shocking sight, as the eyes of a massive Titan stared out at them from _inside_ the wall. The disturbing view had been causing even more civil unrest then there already was from the battle, and the large effort made by the wall church to cover the face provided even more suspicion regarding the cult. But for now the scouts had to focus on joining up with the other group and begin an interrigation of the other two who knew of the Mauler's Titans identity.

Yet another question went through Hange's already filled mind, _'Did Leonhardt know who the Armored and Collassal Titans were? And if so, were they among the cadets from the 104th?_ ' She would have to prepare to deal with _that_ possibility without causing more panic, but till they got the clearance to move out to the South, she would begin to examine all the reports about the failed Raid on Stohess.

Jean spoke up again, and she had to remember she was still in Eren's recovery room along with some of the others. "So what will we do if we meet them again?" he asks, and they all look to Hange. She gives a thoughtful look to the question, and answers as best she can.

"The loss of life and the destruction caused by the pair is more than enough reason to kill them on sight. As much as I would be up for capturing and reasoning with them again, I know that it would only be a secondary choice of action. We still don't know alot, but I'm confident that there may be a chance to resolve this without more needless bloodshed on either side.

All we need is a chance to figure all this out without killing them, though I know that's hardly the answer you all want. But I can't shake the feeling that all of us, _even them,_ are being played with. Something found our actions in the forest funny, and that same something drove fear into the female Titan enough for Draekon to just leave with her, aside from his own loyalties crumbling. But hopefully we'll find out in a few days when we link up with the others."

Eren nodded but he still was unhappy, he didn't want to sympathize with either of them. He didn't think it really mattered about the past, when he and the rest should be focused on now. They killed any who got in their way, but why choose spare some? He was grateful they were all alive, but it still confused him. It made no sense to him, then again nothing really was clear anymore since Trost happened. And why did it seem like Hange is trying to defend them? He knew she had a thing for titans, and now shifters since he came into her hands, but this..this was different.

She was still willing to capture and talk to them when they should just be hunted and put down, or behind bars deep underground. At least that's how he saw it, he didn't know how his friends or sister did. It hurt him that he thought this way of his former comrades, his teachers, _his friends,_ but he doesn't have a choice. They made their decision, and so had he. He fought for humanity, they seemed against it, and so it made them enemies. They chose this madness, they chose to hurt their friends..

And yet he had the nagging suspicion in his head from Her, Armin and Jean's stories...it told him that _they didn't._


	50. 50 Aftermath-Beast Titan

**Alright here we go!! I AM BACK!!** **Few days without internet killed me, I really wanted to post this chapter. This chapter** **is definitely inspired by the first episode of season 2 also titled "Beast Titan". Won't start from the begining of the episode, but will begin at Miche's encounter and return to our main titan couple as they desperately search for their friends. Thanks for all the reviews on the previous chapter, and that will be the last flashback chapter for the scouts. Next chapter will be seen by another PoV, though it will hopefully be exciting for you guys as it is for me.** **Nightwish435 glad to see your excited, same for you Lil'Manuel.G. Your both two of my constant reviewers along with Mr.SmileyPickachu and EverydayWeaboo. Also want to thank all the other readers who drop reviews from time to time, as well as the guest readers who give me their thoughts. They all matter to me and help me write this story. Well I've rambled enough, as usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

Aftermath-Beast Titan

Miche landed on one of the rooftops of the buildings the scout group containing the rest of the 104th just left. About ten minutes earlier he'd been observing the beauty of the interior of Wall Rose when he had spotted a group of 9 Titans. This was _bad,_ ' _How the hell did they get inside the wall? Was it breached again?'_ Since then he had lead the group to warn the nearby villages, including one called Ragako as stated with anxiousness by the bald cadet, Springer. He'd been forced to give charge of the southern team to Gelger after the swarm stopped for a moment, before _violently_ sprinting right at the group out of nowhere.

He saw a few were abnormals, not only by their behavior but by the strange shapes some of them had. He could see two of them now from the rooftop he was perched upon, a large 12 meter craddleing it's unusually sized belly. The other was a shorter 5 meter with the largest head he'd ever seen on a Titan that size. The damn thing looked like it wanted to fall over half the time, but somehow stayed upright on it's legs. _'Time to leave'_ he thought as he looked around for his steed. He whistled out to his horse, satisfied by the number he took down in order to give the group some time to complete their mission. As he looked out for him, he also remembered there was also that _other one walking about aimlessly._

He had noticed this one appear once he began to really lower the numbers of the group he took on, and something about it made him a bit uneasy. ' _That abnormal worries me, just_ _look at the bastard. Easily over 17 meters tall, massive. Taller than even the Mauler I saw a few days ago on the expedition. And this is the first time I've ever seen one of them covered with what, fur? Its just lumbering around, why doesn't it try and rush me? Definitely an abnormal but..'_

He's brought out of his musings by the whining call from his horse, and smiled a little. _'Ah there you are. Looks like I won't have to hold out for sundown afterall._ ' But as he watches his ride get closer, the hairy abnormal does something that shocks him. _It reached down and snagged up the hors_ e, which kicking and crying out as it was lifted. Miche gave a look of disbelief before he went and drew a blade, ready to save his steed, his way out of here. That and he didn't want the poor animal to get hurt, _'Why did it grab it?!?'_ he thought.

"It went for the horse?! Aw c'mon, You gotta be kidding me!" he exclaimed as he got ready to use his gear. What kept him in place was the haired Titan looking at him with an annoyed glance before squeezing the horse brutally and _pitching it right where he stood on the rooftop._ Miche barely dodged the large limp projectile, and lost his footing as he rolled down to the ground. The sheer force behind such an attack stunned him momentarily, how the nimal had been _brutalized_ with what seemed like no reason at all...

' _No_ _, it knew what it was doing._ ' Miche thought before he saw the ugly big headed bastard jump and grab his body.

He struggled to get out of it's grip before it clamped it's jaws down on his legs, nearly breaking them. He yelled out in pain and tried to get his legs free when he hears a deep voice call out.

" _Wait_ " Miche and the Titan stop struggling as the large haired abnormal stands less than 5 meters away before crouching down, as if to get a better look at him. He looks at the beast before him in confusion, before the big headed one holding him clamped down again. He yelled out in pain as his legs felt more broken than before, when he _saw_ the abnormal speak as if scolding a child or pet.

"Huh? You must not have heard me, _I told you to wait._ " and it reached out to squeeze the big head into a pull, one of the eyes popping out from the skull. It watches its hand steam slightly, the blood from the 5 meter evaporating away into nothingness. Now that Miche is closer to the thing, he takes notice of _how it smells._ _'Its the same smell from the forest,_ _the one that made the Female go berserk. Could this be that "bigger threat" Hange was insisting to Erwin and Levi about?'_

Said threat was now looking at him, a strange smile, almost mockingly on it's face. It speaks again to his surprise. "May I ask what you call that strange weapon of yours?"

Miche looks on, unable to speak. He's too shocked to answer, and it looks at him, waiting for a reply. It probes on by describing what it means, "That thing attached to your waist that allows you to fly?"

Miche is still speechless, and sees it reach to scratch it's right ear while talking to him. "Huh..I'm fairly certain we speak the same language, perhaps you're too frightened to formulate a response?"

Looking down at him, it's eyes shift to the two paring blades that are splayed out on the ground. "Huh, I notice you also use swords. _Fascinating_ , must mean you know we reside in the nape. Ah well, suppose I'll just take it back with me."

Miche watches in horror as it begins to reach for him, and he curls up on the ground. He yells as his hands cover his head, and waits for death. But oddly enough he only feels a tug at his waist, and sees the main piece of the ODM, the part that fires the gas and cables in the hand of the abnormal. It stands up and turns to leave, and Miche lays there, shaking from the ordeal. The last words he spoke to Nanaba play in his head, " _Not yet, as long as we keep putting up a fight we haven't been beaten."_

He grabs one of the blades in both hands and readies to defend himself if thw beast comes back. It hears the sound of the blade clanging and turns to glance back at him before saying 6 words that send fear directly into his heart.

" _Oh, you can all move now."_

All around him he hears footsteps coming closer to him as the broken big head, the pot belly craddler and another small one all begin reaching for him.

He yells out _"No, no stop! Please sto- AGHHH"_ and tries to run, but he feels one grabs his left arm while the big head crawls closer to his legs. He feels the bites on his arms and legs, and blood begins running in large anounts from him as he screams for the pain to end. The Beast Titan watches the bloody spectacle in dark amuesment, before commenting to himself. "Ah so you _do_ know how to speak. My an exceptionally clever idea I must say" the second statement referring to the odd contraption in his hand.

" _Noo, ahggh no please stop aHHhhh!!"_ Miche screams stop as his head is finally torn from his ravaged body, and the Titans begin to eat his remains. No one would know whose remains they were, as the cadaver is reduced to a bloody pile of entrails, his jacket torn and laying in some of the gore nearby. Nobody would find him, no one would know what had happened to the scout, except for an _odd shaped shifter who had a blonde girl atop his back._

The pair would arrive about an hour and a half later, when the Titans had already departed after their cruel haired leader. Although they had no idea who the remains were, they still could see what had done it. After taking in the horror of the bloody mess, they would take off once more to the skies, searching for their friends.

 _Ragako_

Annie stared at the deformed Titan before her, the one James had claimed to most likely be Connie's _mother_. As much as she wanted to disprove it, the shape of it's face, the eyes, the hair...it all began to look more and more the truth. It hurt her to think one of her comrades, someone James in particular was close with, had to suffer the wrath of the threat to all living things in this world. His mother had become a mindless Titan, and the only thing that could possibly return her would be to consume another shifter. But this far in the walls, there was little to no chance for that to happen.

" _No..it can't be"_ A rasp escapes from her Titans form's lips. James looked at her and began to rise, but he seems to be accepting it only slightly easier than she is. " _We need to move, now. The others have to be warned, and I know just the place to go first."_ He groaned low to her, and she looks at him once more with wide eyes.

She sees that he's doing his best to hide his pain, but his eyes fails to hide just _how_ pained he is to have delivered the news. After all, he knows what it's like to lose family. And if Connie _had come here_ like the scent trails told him, then he may not have even realized it and just mistaken his own mother for a random Titan.

His shoulders sagging, he turns and motions for her to climb on his back once more. She bows her head and exposes her nape as she exits the shell, before climbing into his shoulder. He makes sure she's secured by wrapping two of his dredlocks around her, almost like a cage. With one final look, he spreads his massive wings and begins to ascend back into the sky. His destination is still the same, even though he now has the other's scents. He _knows_ there are more people in danger, in a village set deep in a massive forest. They were people he grew to know for about two years, when he lived with his adopted sister.

He was heading to Dauper, and he hoped he would get there before anyone or _anything_ else did. Because if he gets there and sees Reiner, Connie, Krista, _Sasha,_ or even Ymir turned into mindless beasts... He's not sure if he can even handle the thought of it.

 _'No, I WILL find them, I will save them! And_ _God help whoever has the balls to get in my way from doing so.'_ He growls mentally as he begins to see forest starting to rise before him.


	51. 51 Aftermath-Return to Dauper

**Finally I have returned, and hope to see all your guy's thoughts on when the big reveal for James happens in a few chapters from now. Also I am curious to see what kind of Titan OCs your thinking of Lil'Manuel.G, but not sure if I'll use them. I'll let you know if I do, but I _know_ i will be implementing Pieck and Pocko as characters but not from Marley, as they aren't in this story. I'm gonna post for Awakening again once I reread the Marley Arc again, but I'll be a good one, if somewhat sad. So there is a flashback moment in this chapter, but won't be _too_ long. As usual drop a review. Let us ****b** **egin.**

Aftermath-Return to Dauper

James began to see the distinct treeline that enclosed Dauper from the rest of the interior, and lowered his altitude to just above the treeline so that he could get his bearings on where he was. Annie still held onto his dreds, and he began to slowly descend towards a clearing once he was sure he knew where they were.

He landed on all fours and dipped his head to allow Annie to get off, before exiting himself. She helped him to his feet by grabbing his arms, and he stretched himself out to get the blood flowing again. After all he had been flying since early this morning, and it was already past miday as he got on his feet again. She said to him "So where to now? You know your way around here still, right?"

He raised an eyebrow at her and gave a smirk, before replying "Course I do, hell I could probably show you the tree I used to sleep in outside Maria when we leave. Doesn't matter how long I haven't been here, I still know the way to our old home. We should start heading for the town first."

She paused at the " _our_ " before she remembers he used to live _closely_ with Sasha. She would've felt a pang of jealousy if she didn't know better, that the food maniac was only seen by him as his sister. That and she seemed to still be with Connie, which made Annie worry even more for them. If either of them or any from the 104 were killed or worse _transformed_ , she knows that James will go crazed with hate. What happened in Stohess would look like child's play to what he would do if any of them were harmed, judging from the way he nearly _killed_ Eren for squeezing her face.

He gestured for her to follow, and she fell in next to him in a light jog through the forest. It almost reminded her of the cadet days when they would do drills in the forest that surrounded the camp, though this time they weren't doing this for a grade. They were running to save the people that mattered to them, and anyone else who was innocent that they came across when they got to the village.

James too had the same sense of nostalgia as he jogged through the forest leading Annie, but he also had memories of running through these woods in search of food. Since the village was mainly compromised of hunters, and him being a more.. _predatory_ person, he felt pretty _normal_ when he would go out hunting with Sasha and her father.

 _Flashback_

 _"Don't let it go! Knock it's feet or hit the throat!" he yelled out to Sahsa as she ran slightly father back, both chasing the deer they deemed to be dinner. She has her bow on her and kept the arrow in the other hand as they ran after their prey, but she was starting to get winded. They'd been chasing this particular buck for almost a full five minutes, and while they weren't ready to give up, Sasha still had to catch her breath._

 _James chased after it with all he had, his only way of taking it down being the small dagger Sasha's father loaned him a few months back and his own bare hands. His endurance as not only a shifter but a **trained** warrior was helping immensely. He knew that Sasha was taking another breather from the way she was starting to run, and he knew she wouldn't last much longer. Didn't matter how hungry she was, she was only human. But **He** wasn't, and so he kept at it. He had to think of a way to end this now before he lost the support of his hunting partner, and the dinner fleeing them. A stroke of brilliance hit him_ _all_ _of a sudden._

 _"Sasha! Aim in front of it, don't hit it! Hit a tree in front of it!" He shouted out to her, and she yelled back her confusion, "What?! Why?"_

 _He yelled back "Just do it! Trust me, I've got an idea!" as he readies the blade in his hand. He held it with the edge running parallel to his arm, and only held a small portion of it near the handle. As his partner obeyed the odd but given orders, she stopped and fired her bow to a tree no more than 5 feet form where the buck would be. As the animal saw the arrow hit it's mark, James threw his own knife in the direction it began to turn towards. The point sailed through and hit the tree near it's head and the animal panicked, unsure what way to turn now that the air seemed to be filling with flying weapons. All the while James finally caught up to it and tackled it._

 _The pair rolled on the ground as the he buck tries to get free, but James kept his legs and arms wrapped tight around it's upper body. With as much force as he could give from the exertion from running for so long, he threw his body to one side and took it back to the ground. It tried to rise but he got his arms around its neck and yanked back hard. The animal seemed to know what he was trying to do and went to rear back in fear when he kicked it's left leg out from under it._

 _As it fell James took the chance to wrap around once more and yank even harder, though this time he was rewarded with a distinct ccrrrackk! The buck went limp in his hands, and he got up, quickly healing the cuts on his hands and knees before Sasha could reach him. After all he still had to keep his secret, and no more than a few moments later she burst into the brush where he and their next meal laid._

 _She took a look at the animal and gave James a_ _high five "Alright! Looks like like your idea payed off! Was it hard?" She asks. He shook his head before replying "Nah, alot easier when what's in your hands isn't trying to kill you." referring to the wolf he killed when he first met her nearly half a year ago. Since then she had shown him how things worked in Dauper, rules of the village, traditions, that sorta thing. They seemed pretty straightforward, and so he was adjusting quite nicely to the new place he called home._

 _"So you want me carry him, or should we both do it?" she asks as she slung her bow across her shoulder and made to carry the body. James stopped her and threw it over his shoulders before telling her "Eh I got this one. Only fair I transport my kill."_

 _"C'mon it was a joint effort!" She protested, rolling her eyes. He laughed, admitting it was true. "Yeah, but I gave the killing blow. I still think this one goes on my count." She hugged but didn't protest again, and she grabbed his knife from the tree it was lodged in as they made their way back to her father's cabin. Along the way they joked and talked about which way to cook it, grilled or boiled. It was carefree bickering, teasing and sibling style rivalry._

 _Flashback End_

 _'If only things were that simple now. Now it all seems like so long ago'_ James thought as he began to see the routes the pair had used back in the good ol' days. Annie seemed to be looking around for anything of interest, as this was her first time in this part of the walls. Not only that but it was a part of James himself, as she notes the paths he took, each looking as if they haven't been used in years. Finally the pair began to see a few homes in front of them, but they all seemed to be abandoned.

James looked around as he got his bearings, they were at the edge of the village. It seemed deserted, but not like how Ragako was, with broken buildings and destroyed homes. The arena seems to be _evacuated_ , and most likely recently from the fires he saw still burning in a few of the homes. He went into each, calling out for anyone before extinguishing the flames, saving them from possibly burning down. If the wall hadn't been breached, then once all the Titans inside Wall rose were found and exterminated, the villagers could return to their homes.

Annie and James began to wander through the town, calling out for anyone while still keeping an eye out for mindless Titans or worse _the Beast titan_ himself. So far they still haven't found anyone and the pair begins to worry, until they hear what sounds like one, possibly _two people_ running from _something_. James charges forward without hesitation, and he spots a small 4 meter chasing after _Sasha_ and a small girl, no older than 10. His eyes widen as he sees they're maybe 20 meters ahead of him.

 _'She's alive!'_ he thinks as he charges forward in time to see the Titan climbing over a small bridge that Sasha had crossed already with the girl ahead of her. He sees her taking aim at the beast from atop a hill and rushes to transform. He readies to bite himself when she does something that shocks him. She fires one arrow _directly_ into one eye before taking the arrow and _stabbing the other in close quarters._ He sees her get almost wrapped up in a grip but she breaks out of it's grasp. The anger he gets at the sight makes him bite down hard.

Sasha is running after the girl she sent to safety when she hears a burst of energy and sees the world light up around her. She runs to see the scary Titan from the Armory, the one that she heard attacked the expedition, that betrayed them. The _Mauler Titan_ was here, and she sees it snatch the Titan that pursued her in it's clawed hands with a angered roar. She watches in terrified awe as it rips the Titan in half and stomps on it's body with a large foot.

 _Then it turns to look at her_.

She tries to flee when it lunged forward to grab her firmly, and she knows she has no chance of fighting back. It brings her to it's face and... _cuddles her?_ The girl watches in confusion as it seems to _purr_ deep in it's scaly throat. It holds her a bit farther, and she can see _intelligence_ in it's eyes, bright electric blue slits that watch her with something that's.. _f_ _amiliar._ It gently places her on the ground before it, and Sasha hears someone approaching them, and turns to see _another unexpected person._

" _Annie_? W-what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be inside Sina working? Are you with _him_?" gesturing to the Mauler, who actually _rolled it's eyes_ at her words. It dips to the ground, and from the neck emerges someone she _knows_ , and she gasps. ' _No_..' she thinks as she finally says his name.

" _James?!"_


	52. 52 Aftermath-Sibling Talks

**Alright here we go! The revelation to Sasha about who James is! This will probably be 2 chapters long, but after that we will go to the PoV of the other members of the southern group during the events of episodes 4 and 5. Lil'Manuel.G can't wait to see your ideas, actually I'm also trying to sketch a few of them out as well. Can't wait to write those povs of the other 104th as well, actually been thinking of how to slightly alter the events there while still staying true to it. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Aftermath-Sibling talks_

 _"James?!"_

The biggest feeling that Sasha Braus felt at the moment was pure shock. Shock at seeing her adopted brother emerge from the nape of a Titan, much less the Mauler Titan that betrayed them about a week ago on the 57th expedition. She stood there unsure what to do, on one hand she was _overjoyed to see James was alive._ She hadn't seen nor heard from him since the mission failed, and had been forced to assume with intense grief that he was dead. But then she also felt _fear_ , and a bit of _anger_ as she looked at him.

" _You_ -" was all she could say before she rushed at him, almost as if to attack. Annie went to step in when she saw Sasha hug James instead, who had a more somber look at his face with what he knew was to come. She let go and hit him across the face, and he blocked the other hand as she yelled "What the hell?! Where the hell have you been?! How could you hide this from us?! From me?!? How could you betray-"

But he stops her by giving her a fierce look, one she knows to associate with _'Dont start'._ She backs away in fear for a moment before he stops her by grabbing her arm gently. He takes a deep breath to calm himself and sighes, knowing this is gonna be hard for both of them. He looks to Annie and she gets the message that this is a matter of family. She nods after watching them both for a minute and begins to walk toward the village, looking for things they might need once they get over Maria. James leads Sasha to the edge of the hill she once stood a few moments earlier when she stabbed and incapacitated that 4 meter who chased her.

"Look, I know I have alot of explaining to do.." He starts and she cuts him off. " _You're damn right you do, how could you hide this for so long? Why would you do that to your friends? I thought you were dead, where have you been!?"_

He answers with "It's a long story, so please let me explain. Just stay quiet, it'll make this all easier to accept as I tell it." She looks at his face for a moment, before she too sighes and sits down next to him on the hilltop.

"I know I kept this from everyone, but I didn't really have a choice in it. It's just the way the world works, _I'm not welcome in humanities eyes."_ She goes again to interrupt when he holds his hand up to let him finish.

"You remember how I left home right?" He asks and she nods, not seeing what he's getting at. "I was raised from a very young age to fight for humanity with my power. My parents were both warriors and like me, they could turn into Titans as well. They wanted to pass the mantle so to speak, onto me, but I didn't want the responsibility of that on my shoulders. And so I ran away, wandering for about a month to when I eventually met you. I had nowhere else to go, so I accepted the home you and your father gave to me."

He stops to look down, and she sees something like nostalgia play across his eyes. "For the first time in my life I was free to be who I was. No one knew _what_ I was, and so I got to stay among you all. I was happy, I had a new family until..well _you know_ " And she flinched slightly at the memory associated with his departure, _a very unpleasant memory._

"Sorry I know that's hard to remember, but after I left you knew I was thinking of going home. And so I travelled for a few days as a Titan, until I returned to Shinganshina the day of the fall. I told you I got to see my parents and sister, but it was only for so long till the Collassal appeared and kicked in the gate. I saw the rubble come flying towards my home and.."

He stops as he breathes deep to catch his breath, and despite her anger and fear she feels with his already revelation, she can't help but feel sorry for him. She knew how hard the death of his family hit him, but she also wanted to hear him go on. He exhaled slowly and continued, wiping away a stray tear that made its way down his cheek. "I grabbed my sister and got her out of the way, and my parents were crushed. Before they went, my father told me to get Eve out of the city. But my mother _apologized_ to me, telling me she knew the path I was destined and charged with taking would be hard, that I would get nothing but hate down it."

"She finally passed and _I was so goddamn angry, angry that I couldn't do anything._ _Because I let myself get caught with fear that I didn't even shift to stop the rock from hitting our house._

I transformed after I refocused on what my father said, and I made to get my sister out of there. I was trying to help some of the people by killing the Titans streaming in, when I saw Eren and Mikasa running towards the breach. I followed them and killed the Titan that had eyed and nearly grabbed their mother, and I escorted them and my sister all to the inner gate."

He paused as he knows he's going to explain the second but probably greatest pain in his life, this time the whole truth about what happened that day. Sasha seems to know what he's going to tell her next, but he continues anyway. "I made Eve get off and told her to get through the gate onto the boats, and turned to fight off the titans making their way towards the evacuation point. It was going well, almost everyone was through, _when he came_."

His face took a dark glare as he stared out out at the forest, "The Armored Titan stood before me and I questioned why it was there. It told me about how his people were suffering outside the walls because we refused to help. I had no idea what he was talking about, and so I got ready to fight him. I told him to stop this destruction or else, and he kept saying that he had no choice. We faced off in front of the gate and the side of town closest to it."

"It was carnage unlike anything you've seen, even Trost wasn't as brutal as we both threw each other around, buildings getting crushed, dirt and rock being tossed and pulled up by our giant forms. We fought _hard_ until the city was empty, until I decided to end it. I went to rip his armor off but he blew out my leg with a kick, and I couldn't get up. I had to heal, and he took the chance to sprint at the gate, picking up speed. The Garrison couldn't do anything, the cannon balls broke on his armor, until finally he rammed it."

He stops as he gets ready to tell her the hardest part, "Now what I didn't know was that while _it seemed the city was evacuated_ , Eve stayed to support me if I would've failed. She stood trying to shift as the Armored charged, and I saw the fear on her face. She wanted to transform _so hard_ , but me being crippled and the behemoth coming at her must've paralysed her. I watched as she was thrown with the rubble as the gate was destroyed, and by then my leg had healed.

I ran and threw the Armored as it stood catching it's breath, and I saw her lying there under the destroyed rock. She was broken, and all I could do was wail and pull her out from it. The Armored left, but I wasn't paying any attention, all I could see was her face. I..I _made sure_ she was buried properly, and I went to get my parents bodies before they could get eaten. I killed every Titan that I saw, and I stayed there for nearly a week in my Titan form. I almost became infused with it, and finally I had to decide where to go."

Sasha wanted to say something, but the words were stuck in her throat by his confession. His breathing was a little hard, but stable as he kept on talking. "I couldn't return back here, and I was literally in the ruins of my old home. I decided to use my powers to warn the rest of the interior of the breach. I made good time, and nearly every town and village was warned of the incoming titans, but..I failed to find where Reiner and Bert's were, and _I'm the reason_ they don't have a village to return to. I fucked up and cost more lives than I already had, if _I had just killed the Armored he never would've broke the gate_. We should still have all that territory and my sister would be alive. _It's my fault we lost so many._

 _I'm part of the reason_ Armin's grandfather and so any others were sent to try and take back Maria in a suicide mission ordered by the goddamn monarchy. _They're_ the reason for so much of this as well, with what I've learned from Annie and my own experiences."

Sasha asks a question, her confusion growing at the last line. "James what are you talking about?" She watches and gets a chill down her spine as he gives her a bitter look. Then he glares again at the woods before telling her "They're the reason everything, Trost, the attacks 5 years ago, it's mostly their fault all that happened. They know the world outside the walls still has some people alive out there, people like _Me,_ and they left them to die 100 years ago. They denied innocent people any help when they built the walls, and left everyone else out there to the haired giants."

 _'There are people **outside** the walls? And the king knows about it? What does he mean 'haired giants?' _ She thinks, puzzled. She decides to ask about the those first, "What are haired giants? Why are they such a threat?"

"They're the way the Titans we fight are created. They can turn people like me, shifters, and normal humans like you into the mindless creatures that we know. From what Annie told me, our kind has been fighting them since the walls were built. But about a decade ago, a new Haired one with intelligence appeared that could _speak_ and _plan_ it's attacks. Me and her encountered it in the forest of giant trees on the expedition, _it_ sent the Titans after us. Annie needs someone like me or Eren to help fight back, because of what we can do, some power we have."

"And what kind of power is that? _What do you and Eren have that can be so necassary that they needed to kill so many for?"_ Sasha asks him, not getting why he's so important to them. He looks at her with a small smile, before replying with complete seriousness.

"She called it the Coordinate, and from what she said the king used to have it. It's how the walls were made.. _it's the power to control the Titans."_


	53. 53 Aftermath-Motives

**Ok part two of the confrontation! Will probably be posted a few hours after chapter 51 is out, but wanted to write it while I had the momentum and ideas in my head. Glad to see the recent reviews I've gotten, can't wait to hear how I do in the lastest. A few more chapters, maybe 6 or 7, before we get the next _big reveal_. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Aftermath-Motives_

"It's _what_?"

Sasha asked again, not quite sure if her ears are clogged or if James really just said that. He sighed and gives a small roll of the eyes as he repeats himself. "It's the power to control the Titans, apparently the old king used it to make the walls a hundred years ago. Annie's people, _My_ people asked for help when the Beast Titan began wiping them out, but the recent king denied them, claiming he would wage war on our kind if we didn't obey. So...they decided to take it by force and attacked 5 years ago, but since she found out I'm a Coordinate, they don't need or from what Annie says, _want_ to attack us anymore."

Sasha takes it all in, and she looks at him in disbelief. She questions him, thinking his head must not be straight. "And you're just gonna go with her, knowing they caused all that?! All the death and destruction they brought us, to _you_ , and your just gonna betray us?! _What are you doing James??"_

She sees his eyes take a dark look to them, and he growls out low to her. "Is it really _betrayel_ if I was never considered an ally in the _first place_? And I'm not talking about _you or any of our friends_ , I'm talking about the higher ups. The scouts, the monarchy and the rest of those in power who _never trusted me_. They were the ones who betrayed me first!"

"What the hell are you talking about? They _fought for you_ , or rather your titan in Eren's trial, that's what you and everyone else said! They said you were an ally! How did they _betray you_?" And he gives a humorless chuckle at her words.

"Because it's just like my mother said, her last words to me. You want to _hear them?"_ And without waiting for an answer he receives her final warning and apology to his sister.

" _You know our secret, but you must not tell anyone else, ever. They'll hate you, despite everything you do for them, there will be those who don't **want to understand**. They'll try to kill you, because **they fear you.** "_.

Those were her last words, an apology and a _warning_. She knew what I would face in these walls but still wanted me to go and do it. I didn't want it then and I still don't want it _now_. But I made an effort to _try,_ I tried to follow both of their wishes, I tried to complete my mission, even if it hurt."

"I enrolled in the 104th and met all of you, well _you again_ , but I started to become more sociable to humans, to people. I hid what I was because I _knew_ they would be scared of me, even after all I've done to help. I grew closer to all of you and found my reason for fight, you all became my family. I was _happy_ again, I wasn't alone anymore like I was in those 2 years outside Maria in the wilderness."

"Wait, _you were out there?"_ Sasha asks, not believing him. She knew he was in the wild, _but never did she think he was outside the walls!_ He gave her a nod, and continued.

"Yeah, it's where I was, because I didn't have anywhere else to go. I couldn't come back here again, and home was gone. I didn't want to mingle with the refugees, and I didn't trust myself to be around them

I was too racked with guilt and grief. I was afraid they might've feared me if I transformed because I couldn't keep it together. I would've been seen as a threat because I know the only thing I would've done was take my anger and pain out on anything, especially if they would've decided to attack me.

So I left and went outside the walls, and there I encountered the Beast Titan, though I had no idea who or what it was at the time. I barely survived and it really woke me up to reality, I'd been losing who I was out there. I succumbed to my instincts, always fighting titans and hunting for food. So I decided to enroll in the military, to see what it was like. You obviously know how that went, and then Trost happened.."

The pair flinched at the memories coming back to them, that one day of pure hell taking place right after they graduated. He shook his head and went on.

"When things stated going down, I shifted to save Annie, who was nearly swallowed. Reiner and Bert were also with me, and all 3 kept silent about me. After I began clearing out the city, I met up with Eren and we made our way to the armory. But I admit I let my mind get out of focus again, because Eren was exposed to all of them.

When the evacuation of the cadets was complete, I confronted the 3 who saw me and explained my story and situation. They knew who I was, what I was like, and so they agreed to keep my secret. I heard from you that Eren, Mikasa and Armin were all being separated for the rest of us, and I had my suspicions confirmed when I came upon the all being under threat of being fired upon. I knew then that I couldn't go public with my secret, that l I would face was death threats and disgusted looks as people mindlessly hated me and my kind, even after me and Eren helped you all out.

I went to help Eren carry the boulder, and you know that we finally did it. I left and came upon the trio who knew my secret, but I didn't know someone else was watching us. That watcher being Marco, who I caught and forced to listen so he could understand. He agreed to keep quiet as long as I stayed an ally, so I figured I'd avoided a major problem.

The trial came and went, and saw more ignorance that I would've faced if I revealed myself. It drove me even farther away from helping humanity as opposed to helping the people who matter to me, Innocents and my family, my friends. But what _really_ sealed the deal was the expedition, and let me tell you _exactly_ what happened out there."

She slowly nodded at his request, and he gave a nod of appreciation. "I didn't know about Annie or her mission at the time, and so she had decided to grab Eren and me and get back to save her village. She waited until we began the operation when she was met by the Beast Titan, and he set Titans after her. She couldn't shake them and decided to lead them towards the more experienced soldiers, the ones in the right flank where none of us 104s were at.

After that me and my 'squad' that I was assigned to began to chase her into some village ruins. Now I could tell that something was already off from the way I was seeing things. I'd heard reports that a Female Titan attacked and destroyed the right flank, but I could see her ignoring us right in front of me. She knew we were chasing after her, but not once did she try to harm us. I decided to shift and find out about who she was, and the team I was with turned to attack her _and me_."

Sasha gasped a little, but she knows that James wouldn't be lying about something as big as this. He gave a grim look as he went on. "I tried ignoring them at first, not bothering to really defend myself. I thought maybe they would get the hint and see that I wasn't an enemy, but I spotted one of them aiming a flare gun at her. I was confused, until the shot went off and they all tried to rush the both of us. I disnt do anything but protect myself, and finally I got tired off it all. I had offered mercy twice to the scouts I held in my hands from attacking, and when they chose to ignore it as iet them go, I _snapped_."

Sasha already knows that it wasn't going to be pretty to hear, but listens anyways. "I killed one who went to slash at my ankles, and I saw the Female titan running towards me now, but still defending herself from her attackers. She killed two of them and another sliced under my eye before I caught and killed them without a second thought. The last went to cut at my face before she crushes them angrily like a bug. Then we began to size each other up, before I tried talking.

I questioned her about what she was reported to have done, and how she saw humans. I wanted to see if she was a threat or if she was like me, a victim of circumstance. She replied that she didn't _want to kill them,_ but would defend herself if the revised her mercy. It was the way she said it that reminded me of something Annie asked me after Trost, about whether I ever killed anyone as a Titan. I told her the truth, No, but I would go that far if they pushed me to it. I started to take in her shape more, and I began to see that she was Annie.

I was _angry,_ not at her being a Titan, but because she kept it from me after I revealed my secret to save her. I went to question her when she broke my leg and ran for it, but I wasn't letting that stop me again. I healed and chased her as she tried to get Eren in the forest of giant trees, when me and her both ran into an ambush set up for _both of us._ "

Sasha interjected, not believing that _he_ was the one being targeted. "What makes you think it was made for you? They could've just been keeping it as a backup if the first one failed." But he shook his head and looked angry again, but kept his cool while talking to her. _'She just needs to hear All the facts, and see it from my eyes. She'll understand, hopefully.'_ He thought to himself.

"Because it was designed to wrap _around my armor_ , hers were just speared cables. I tried to get out, and as I struggled I began to feel _betrayed_. The made a trap just for me, to contain me like an animal. They never trusted me in the first place, and I remembered those at the trial who didn't trust me or Eren either.

I got _very, VERY mad_ , and I finally broke free of my bonds. I challenged them all to fight me, and they went to attack once again in their foolishness. I _killed everyone who came at me, and when they finally stopped, so did I._ Then, I made my way over to _her, after all she owed me an explanation._

We talked while she was still bound and told me why she was there, a while the scouts watched us. I decided to go with her, just the two of us, when it all went even to Hell." Sasha looks confused until James told her with narrowed eyes, "The Beast Titan showed up, but he kept himself hidden. He sent groups of Titans after me and Annie, and I told her to leave, that I'd find her in a few days so we could go."

"Why didn't you just go then? Why wait?" Sasha asks, confused at his actions. But he gives her a sad smile with a few tears running on his face, and tells her.

" _Because I wanted to say goodbye to all of you."_


	54. 54 Aftermath-Goodbye

**Semi feelsy chapter here, not trying to over do the emotions. But this is a big moment for James and Sasha with how close they are. Bet you guys and gals loved the triple update from yesterday, but I couldn't resist. Try playing the beginning of "Call Your Name" for this one, some of the lyrics will hit hard as you start to connect them to this, but nothing more than brother and sister feelings between these two. I promise it's not like how Eren and Mikasa are, with him not returning the love she gives deep from inside the Scarfzone. By the way, Ereannie is my otp even still lol. Jean deserves Mikasa, or Sasha as a second pair for her. Still like springles as well lol, but hey ships saddly get sunk all the time. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Aftermath-Goodbye_

"Www- _what_?" Sasha stutters slightly as she sees the saddened look on James face. ' _No, he can't, no..'_ She thinks, even after hearing all the horrible _but justified_ things he's done. She understands his reasons now, but she doesn't want him to _go_. She grabs his arm, and tries pleading with him.

"You're not.. _leaving_? You cant-" but he interrupts her with another sad look, and tells her again.

"I have to Sash, I don't really have a choice. Even if I wanted to stay, I'll never be able to wash the blood from my hands. I can't take living behind these walls anymore, with people who hate and wanna kill me. I have to go, be with my own kind for a while. But-"

"You can't, we can work something out! They can see you as an ally if you just explain-" She tries pleading with him again, not wanting to accept it. But he cuts her off with a firm but gentle tone, before telling her the other reasons he can't come back. He shakes his head at her, wishing it were that simple.

"I've tried Sasha, but they'll _never_ accept me, _especially after yesterday._ I'm sorry but I have to leave. I just..wanted to say goodbye to all of you. That was the plan, I just thought it would be easier this way _. I thought maybe it wouldn't be so bad, that I could live with it.."_

Sasha slowly asked "What do you mean " _After yesterday"?_ What happened yesterday?" He gives a sour look as he contemplates telling her about why Annie was with him now. But he decides he should, because he's come this far with the truth, so he can't and doesn't want to lie. _'She needs to know, so that she can understand. Even if she hates me for it, I don't want to lie to her anymore.'_ He thinks as he looks down, not meeting her eyes.

" _Stohess_. Me, Eren and Annie all fought inside of Stohess and cause _a lot_ of damage...and definitely killed some civilains. But I want you to understand I had _no choice, they_ tried to ambush Annie in human form. But she saw through it and refused to follow them, until I showed up.

They were scared, they didn't expect me to appear, and started calling me a traitor. I told them the same thing I told.uou about why I did what I did, but they still called me a monster, especially Eren."

Sasha sits there in shock, and asks "What did you do? Are they..are they dead?" She's starting to get afraid of him, but she stops herself, shocked that she ever thought he could be capable of that. ' _He wouldn't kill his own friends..right?'_

"I did what I had to, but I gave them one last chance. I told them me and Annie were leaving no matter what they wanted, but I gave Eren the choice to come with or to just stay out of the way. In the end he chose to stick but those who will hate him no matter what, _Humanity,_ and called me a monster. He said he would do what he has to in order to win, to stop me and Annie from going home. I called him a warrior at heart, even if he was foolish.

By then Armin fired the signal to capture us, but Annie and I transformed and began to leave. We weren't being stopped, but we didn't try to hurt anyone innocent either. I asked her to lead us out the more deserted and less filled parts of the city. We only killed those who attacked us, which weren't many because they were afraid of what we could do.

Armin and Jean tried to egg me on, or _Armin did,_ Jean was just nearby. I spared them but I made sure I got the point across, _don't get in my way._ I never wanted to hurt our friends, and I kept that promise. I let the go, and I even spared that section leader, _Hange_ because she didn't raise a blade at me. She tried to negotiate with me, and when I got out, I let her go. We were taking a break before finally getting out, but then Eren transformed, and it turned into an all out brawl."

Sasha gasped, and he's a little reluctant to continue, but he still does it. He hopes she can forgive him. "I led him to the city center, where it was empty and had lots of space. We stood facing each other, and I gave him one last chance, but he ignored it. We clashed and afte a while I was satisfied he was down, but he got the drop and tried to decapitate me. I struggled to get out of it but Annie came and saved me.

She kicked his head but get got a good grip on her leg with his jaws and..she bashed his head in to get him off. She started to leave, and I bed farewell to him, telling him he brought this upon himself. Then.." He chuckles and she gives a confused look at him, but she notices that the laugh is devoid of humor. "We were right at the wall when Eren came after us, all berserk and bloodlusted. I threw Annie out of the way and took the brunt of his charge, and she got him off me again. She went to hit him when-"

He stops and flinches, and Sasha sees anger begin to resurface on his face. "He _hurt her_ , he squeezed and crushed her face right in front of me and.. _I got so angry, and all the anger I've ever felt in my life, all the pain_..It came out. I went berserk on him, bashing in his skull as hard as I could while Annie tried to escape. She was halfway up when Mikasa cut her fingers off, and I tackled Eren when she crashed down between us.

I destroyed his head and ripped his titan to pieces, I said.. _I said_."

He stops to swallow as her tells her "I told him that _if he killed her that I would destroy the whole fucking world and everything he loved._ I didn't mean to say it, I wasn't in control but I came to after. I got out of my rage and I flew with Annie out of the city-"

"Wait hold on, did you say _you flew with_ _Annie_. You can _fly?!"_ Sasha interjected with astonishment, and James gives a small smile at her. He chuckles that she's more amazed with him being able to fly then everything else he's told her.

"Yeah I can fly, it's even better than using Odm gear. It's _amazing Sash_. And before you ask, Eren isn't dead, none of our friends are. But there's not a chance in Hell that I would even be _considered_ for being an ally again in their eyes. And to tell you the truth it doesn't bother me that much.

 _The only thing that hurts is that I have to leave you guys_ , but it's not like I wasnt prepared for this happening someday. I just..I wanted you to know the truth, and to tell Connie and the rest before the scouts arrive. No matter what the others say, you'll know the full story straight from me. I can leave knowing I gave you that for once, _the whole truth_." His voice broke, and he pulls her into one last hug. She wraps her arms around him, crying into his chest.

" _Please don't go.."_ She cries silently, still trying to plead, but he hears it. It tugs at his heart, and he lets the hug go on for another minute before finally pulling away. Her eyes are red, and he gives her one last smile as he wipes away a tear. "Stay hungry, _potato girl"_

She fights the urge to roll her eyes at the annoying nickname. She tries to smile at the way he says it, but can't do it. Not like this, _'Not like this'_ She thinks as she watches him turn to walk farther into the evacuated village, mumbling under her breath _. "It was one time, but I will...Beast in human skin"_ Remembering the appropriate nickname he got after the second survival mission. It had been thought of since the first test when he brought those wolf fur coats, but when the incident during the second one happened, it got popular real fast.

It gave off an aura of fear, dominance, predatory, _a hunter_. But she knew despite how scary he seems on the outside, he's a good person with a big heart on the inside. He fights for people who matter for him, no matter the cost. And though it might seem selfish to others, to her it was one if the best things about him.

 _'Im gonna miss him..but it's what he wants. I'm not going to stop him from that. Right now...right now I need to focus on finding the others, warning the rest of the scouts of this...Beast Titan. If it's that big of a threat as he says, then I need to find Connie and the rest ASAP. I just hope they're alright'_ Sasha thinks anxiously, thinking of Connie and his village being in the direction the Titans appeared. She turns to find the horse that left her before's returned, and gets on to carry out her mission. _'For them'_

James walked through the town, wiping his face off, looking at the ground for a few moments. Once he was settled, he began to look around for Annie, getting ready to call her name. But before he gets the chance she appears with a small pair of packs for them. She hesitantly asks him " _Are you ok?"_ , waiting to see if he's able to answer. He looks her in the eyes before saying "Not in the least. Let's get going. Thanks for making these." As he takes his pack.

She nods but stays rooted to the spot as he walks past, and she thinks with a tear running down her face _'Im sorry for doing this to you._ _I'm the shitty person..I'm the monster between us.'_ She's brought out of it by him calling her name from a few feet away, "You alright? Or need some rest? We can head back to the giant trees for the night if you want."

She nods silent, before swallowing the guilt that rose like bile in her throat. " _Thank you, I..think we both should rest._ We can pick up on finding the others tomorrow, if you want" He wants to still go and search them, but it is getting dark out. It'll be a bit harder to find them in the dark, plus he's already tired from everything that's happened today as it is. Not physically tired, but _mentally_ anguished. "Yeah..let's go and find a place to sleep. Your right, we can look tomorrow in the daytime. I'll bring us somewhere safe."

She nods at him, and falls alongside next to him as they walk for the clearing they arrived in.


	55. Aftermath-Ruckus in the Night

**Alright glad to see reviews for the latest chapter, also going to be updating Awakening today if you guys have been waiting for that one. Next few chapters will have a few povs, from James and Annie to the southern group. Time wise it takes place during episode 4 and into episode 5 of season 2. Sorry if this is later than usual, my cables out and internet provider changed, so I've been hard pressed to watch those episodes to get the dialogue right. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Aftermath-Ruckus In the_ _Night_

It's nightime, but quite a few hours into the morning as the titan couple flew searching for a place to sleep. Or James did the actual flying, as Annie had neither the wings nor the awakeness to help him. Finally he started to see the high treetops and knew he'd found his goal. _'About time, I'm starting to get a but tired.'_ he thought as he starting to head towards guaranteed rest.

As he flew towards the massive foliage, and for the umpth time he was grateful that the massive trees grew in large clusters inside and outside of the walls. It gave him ample cover and a sense of security from having to find shelter on the ground. Down there he was not only vulnerable to wolves and other predators, but Titans in this case as well.

Annie was almost fully asleep on his nape, and he foldes his dreds to once again around her to keep her in place. Last thing he needs is her falling, so he made sure to keep an eye out for if he felt her start to slip. Below him he didn't see much, but _wait, he does see something._ He watched as swarms of Titans were all heading towards a set of buildings he could see in the distance.

The wall was to his right this time, and from what his ears were telling him, _something_ was climbing on the wall. He smelt that familiar odor once more, of musky animal fur, and felt he knew what was closeby. _'Its here, it's leading them..somewhere._ _The castle ruins maybe? But what could be of interest there? Titans are only attracted to..'_

His eyes widen as he remembered _exactly_ what Titans are drawn to. He starts smiffing more, and the noise is starting to wake Annie back up. She asks groggily, "Mhmm..James, what's going on?" He doesn't respond until he's gotten the scent that he's been dreading finding here. The same one he finally caught in Ragako, _the scent of the other scouts, his friends_.

Their faces flash before his mind again and he starts growling loud enough to wake up Annie. She's confused by his behavior, at being woken up to the noise until she too starts smelling it, _smelling him._ " _No, it's here too?_ James I smell it too, but we need to stay away from it! We need to focus on finding the others now!". At her last words he gives another snarl and begins heading in the direction the Titans are.

She looks below to see the swarms of Titans heading towards some sort of castle, but they look like their in ruins. No one would be there except maybe.. _'No, Not here! They can't be here!'_ She thinks frantically, and she now gets why James is following them with such haste. He starts to descend slightly but high enough to keep the castle in sight, and Annie calls out to him.

"James what are we gonna do? If that swarm or the Beast hits them before we do, then they'll get overwhelmed! We need a plan of attack!" James growled again, but she couldn't understand him in this form at the moment. " _I have a plan, Attack. Kill them all, if a single one of our friends dies...I'll rip that hairy bastards stomach out through his throat!"_ He began to smell the scent rising, and before he knew it he could see a tall furry figure atop of Wall Rose. _'So there he is'_ He thinks as he remembers the last time he saw this creature, nearly 4 and a half years ago outside Wall Maria after home fell.

 _'He_ _still_ _looks the same: tall, long arms, a hairy body, and that God awful smell. So this is the threat to our kind, and to humanity as well..'_ James thinks to himself, assessing what to do next. The Titans are now surrounding the tower, but only a handful are next to it. The rest are held back, still in the small forest nearby, which makes James narrow his eyes in thought. _'What are you planning? Why send some instead of all?'_ Though he's grateful that those who might be in the tower have less to deal with, the unnatural control demonstrated by those other Titans bothers him.

He lowers his altitude even more and lands atop of the wall, but far enough to not be seen in the dark. His darker armored hide is a helpful advantage here, and he begins to hear shouts, battle cries. He looks to the castle and spots 4 scouts attacking the Titans, using their gear on the castle tot heir advantage. He hopes it's just the members who were assigned to guard the others in the 104, and not his friends themselves.

As he goes to move towards than and assist he hears a crack and crumbling sound to his right, which draws his attention back to the hairy fuck. ' _What_ _the hell?! What's it doing?'_ He thinks as James sees the Beast Titan grab a chuck of the wall with it's hard finger tips, and tearing it off into hand sized pieces. It draws back it's right arm and he's eyes widen as he realizes what it's about to do. Letting out a loud roar, he tries to get the attention of the creature and possibly throw it off target.

It works but the rock is already thrown, heading towards the tower with terrifying speed. He can even hear the noise the rock makes as it sails through the air, hard enough that it would knock him out of the sky. The rock slams against the tip of the tower and two of the scouts are killed on contact. But now he has the full attention of the Beast on him, and sends out a loud challenging roar at it. It just looks at him _amused,_ before it lets out a roar of its own while raising it's hands.

The rest of the Titans begin slamming into the tower, and the last pair of scouts he can see are having a hard time staying above the monsters. He signals for Annie to get off, nodding in the direction of the tower while giving a growl. She nods, understanding what he wants her to do: Transform, grab them and get out of there. James would deal with the Beast Titan to provide cover for her. Annie runs towards the edge slicing her finger again, and lands fully formed on the ground, using her hardening ability to soften the blow. She rises and takes off at a sprint towards the tower, cutting down the smaller Titans that approach her.

James watches to make sure she can handle them, and satisfied turns his head towards the Beast Titan. Isn't still watching him, but he can see it's edging his hands towards the wall again, preparing to rip out another chunk. _'Fly and try to knock him off or engage him on the wall in hand to hand?'_ He thinks to himself, thinking of the best possible option before choosing the first.

Spreading his wings he dives off the wall before rising fast towards the Beast, watching it closely. He's right about it being ready to throw, and he's forced to dodge as a chunk comes sailing fast towards him. He rolls to the side before opening his wings again and dive bombing the monster. He tries to use his talons to either latch on to his shoulders or kick him off the wall, slashing him a few times across his back. Roaring in defiance the Beast tries to smack him out of the air when he gets close, only to nearly be knocked off himself.

James too gives a high roar to challenge him, keep his attention to him. But the Beast has other plans, grabbing a piece of Wall as James misses again in trying to claw it. The Beast Titan draws back it's arm and pitches the piece to his left wing. James barely moves out of the way when it clips the middle of the appendage, making James lose his balance. He cries out in angered pain, a tries to keep control by banking down towards the wall when the Beast roars again. But James is confused as to why it's not looking at him, when he sees Annie fighting off even _more_ Titans that are streaming out from the forest.

 _'You bastard!_ ' James thinks as he turns to face the Beast again, maybe 40 meters away with a smug grin on it's face, amuesment in it's eyes. James watchs it turn to climb down on the outside of the wall, and he's faced with two hard options before him: ' _kill the hairy fuck now or save Annie and the rest before the rest of the Titans get to them...'_ The beast seems to know his decision as it lazily climbs down. With an angered snarl he lunges over the wall to glide slightly into the forest before rolling to a stop.

His wing is healing but the hole in it won't let him fly properly, so he'll have to get there on foot. It's not that big a deal, but he doesn't want to be delayed should be do something stupid like trip and fall. He has to get there _now_ , and sprints as hard as he can before taking to all fours. His momentum is increasing until he's nearly there when he sees Annie start to get surrounded. Roaring he leaps at the group and grabs Annie yet again, rolling them both away to safety. She gets up near the tower, and grabs onto it to catch herself before she realizes it's almost ready to fall down.

Before she can get up there to see who's there an abnormal pounces on her and she has to fight it off before more begin to group around her once more. James is preoccupied with a large group himself, some of them coming up to about his chest level, others at his knees. She watches as he roars a challenge at the nearest before decapitating it. They're both too distracted, but Annie hears something that causes her to look up, a high scream from a familiar blonde girl.

" _Ymir!!"_ And Annie sees the freckled girl leaping over the edge of the tower, _'What the hell is she doing?!'_ before she sees her cut her hand on a knife and the lightning that starts surrounding her form. Once the flash is over, and Annie hears a loud screech, she looks up again.

' _No_ , _Ymir's a shifter too?_ ' Annie thinks as she sees something that freezes her in place as she takes in Ymir's Titan form. _'I've seen it before..'_ she thinks, killing the Titan nearest her with an angered hardened fist to the face.

A small 7 meter body with long arms, claws on all her limbs, a large head with flowing black hair. A pair of black eyes sit in that head matched by white pupils... Pupils shes _seen before_ , 5 years ago, outside of Wall Maria before the attacks.

The eyes _of a mindless killer_.

Annie is once again seeing the _very Titan who ate Marcel._


	56. Aftermath-Trio of Terror

**Alright picking up from where last chapter ended, Glad to hear from ya Pieck-Aboo, and you too Lil'Manuel.G As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Aftermath-Trio of Terror_

 _'Im sorry Gelgar, I couldn't save you..'_ she thinks as she tries climbing her way up the cable to the top of the tower

Nanaba barely made it back up before her gas had finally run out. Gelgar was being eaten, though he seemed to be out of it from the blood running down the side of his head. After all, he did say he hit his head before finally falling to the sickeningly hungry faces of the Titans below them. Henning and Lynne were already gone, because that hairy Titan atop The wall had _deliberately thrown_ _a rock at them._ The fact that the thing seemed to be _toying with them_ pissed her off even more than them being surrounded on all sides.

As the large blonde cadet, Reiner, pulled her back across the ledge, she heard a shout of surprise. "Whoa, what the hell's _that?!_ " She looked to where the bald cadet, Connie pointed, and saw something that _scared her_. High above the ground, something very large and very strange _flew_ like a massive bat. She watches as it landed atop Wall Rose and sat there on it's haunches, and also saw the haired Titan climbing down from the wall out of sight. However she couldn't make out what the second thing was, but it was enough to ward away that other.

She could also hear a rumbling sound of footsteps approaching them, and she watched with the other cadets from the 104 as the terrifying creature they encountered on the 57th expedition come charging out from the treeline. _The Female Titan_ began to head their way, and knew that this one displayed intelligence she herself bore witness to alongside the other scouts when they trapped both her, and the other Titan they now feared The _Mauler._

If _that_ abnormal were to attack them, the tower would be brought to the foundation in less than 5 minutes. ' _They would all die here, her and the other cadets they had suspicion to believe were possible allies to the Mauler and Female Titan. We're going to die knowing we made the wrong assumption, that..wait what?!'_

Nanaba is brought out from her internal monologue as she sees the Female Titan kill the nearest Titan before making her way to the others, destroying them with brutal ease. Her eyes widen at the act, though she recalls seeing it fight before in the forest of giant trees. But still _'Why is it fighting these Titans? What's the point, it's not like... is it trying to protect us?'_ She asks herself.

However even the Female's deadly battle prowess was beginning to get overwhelmed by sheer numbers, which prompted those watching to once again look on in anxiety. Then things got _even_ _stranger_ when the next set of rumbling footsteps coming from the forest revealed _The Mauler_ coming at them on all fours before it too leapt and engaged the nearest Titan with a loud screech. Loud snarls and shrieks of anger came from both of their bizzare saviors as they seemed to be _protecting_ the tower. But things were still getting worse as a few managed to get around the pair and tackle them from all sides.

The Female seemed to be trying the hardest to stay close to the tower while the Mauler was aggressively engaging multiple targets, if more Titans arrived at this rate they would get overwhelmed within a few minutes. As Nanaba observes this all taking place below and in front of her, she doesn't catch all of the conversation happening behind her.

"..Connie, do you still have that knife from before? _I need it."_

Nanaba turns to see the bald cadet standing next to the freckled boy who supposedly gave them the identities of the Mauler's and Female Titans, Marco. While she had no idea who they were as she hadn't been at the meeting, she still knew that two others in this group had known the people inside the Titans below them and kept them a secret. That alone was giving her reason enough to keep a close eye on the tall dark haired boy Bertoldt, and the bulky blonde nursing a possibly fractured right arm, Reiner.

She'd been told Reiner had been bitten while saving Connie from a small Titan that managed to get inside and up the inside of the tower. Bertoldt and Ymir had also been instrumental in getting rid of the unwanted guest by tossing out the castle window, _that Reiner carried it up towards_. Now while her suspicions of the two were lowered when she heard that, she couldn't help but be impressed at the strength and determination the pair had shown.

So when Ymir suddenly asked for the knife Connie held, a small warning bell went off inside her head that the girl might have been planning something _reckless_. Yet Nanaba still saw Connie hand her the small blade, much to the freckled girls appreciation.

"Thanks Connie, I owe you one." Reiner is the first to question her odd behavior, as Bertoldt starts walking a bit closer to her, almost as if he's concerned that she'll do something rash.

"What good is that gonna do? We just need to hold out and wait for the other scouts to find us, or see if _those two_ can save us. Either way though, something fast needs to happen. Why don't you just sit down and take a deep breath."

Bertoldt speaks up as well, his voice sounding a bit distressed. "Yy-yeah Ymir, don't do anything stupid alright? Don't think about hurting yourself or anything, we'll all get through this, ok?" Ymir gives the boy a reassuring look before walking over to Krista. "Oh I know we will, don't worry Bertle."

But something is off about the whole thing, the slightly sarcastic smirk, Bertoldt's fear of Ymir doing something that can hurt her, and the words they all hear Ymir tell Krista. "Remember our promise, her in the snowy mountains that one winter. I'm showing you mine now, so make sure to tell me yours. Live a life you can be _proud of, Krista_. It's the only way to live.."

Then Ymir lightly taps the top of the blade with her finger before running and leaping off the edge. Krista's scream rings in their ears, as they all run forward in shock to see her falling to the ground, slicing at her hand.

" _Ymir!!"_

Ymir's thoughts are focused on the goal she has in mind as she stares into the hungry face watching her below. All but one, the feminine but confused face of the Female Titan watching her with something like disbelief. ' _Its almost as if she's concerned for me, hmm'_ Ymir thinks, as she readies to return to the prison she escaped from after decades of _Hell_.

 _'Krista we are the s_ _ame, I used to curse the day I was born, just like you._ _The world **despised me for having the gall to exist.** I thought the only way to put things right was to give up my life_. _But even then what I wished for more than anything, was to be given a second chance. A chance, to finally live for myself!'_

Ymir slices her hand, feeling the burst of energy hit her body as the bones and muscle begin rapidly creating the beast she once _was for so long_. So long that she swore to _never_ _again_ use, but now _twice_ had broken. Because she was afraid of being stuck in that hell _again_. As her body finishes forming she lets out a high screech that draws the eyes of the Female Titan.

Wasting no time with introductions, Ymir lands on a Titans neck and tears it away with her powerful jaws, before leaping to kill another and then _another_ in less than 6 seconds. She lunges at her next target with another shrill snarl.

Annie is watching the savage acts with shock and a rising hint of _anger. 'Shes the one who ate Marcel. And she's just been keeping it hidden till now?'_ Between brief lulls in the fighting she sees Ymir using her size and the tower to her advantage, leaping at titans and tearing out their soft spots before jumping back to the tower to repeat her deadly ballet.

The savagery of the acts are fast and brutal, her teeth and claws being deadly weapons even to the larger ones. She knows that with her speed she might even be capable of out manuvering _her own body._ Annie decides to grudgingly steer clear of her and stay closer to James, who was currently ripping a Titans arms from their sockets and using them as clubs. Ymir might've been deadly, but she knows for a fact that James _was much deadlier._

Above the bloody carnage of the 3 shifters the scouts watch in awe, and shock. Connie is the first to say anything as he sees Ymir tearing out 3 napes in less than 10 seconds after landing. "Talk to me, somebody tell me this is all just a dream". He still can't believe it, he saw her change in front of them like they all did, but he's still trying to process it all. The Female titan who attacked the expedition, The Mauler who betrayed them during the same expedition, and now _Ymir are all killing Titans to save them_.

Nanaba watches with Marco and Historia as they try to keep up with Ymir's fast movements. Reiner and Bertoldt however are having two _very_ different reactions, both filled with fear, and one with _hurt_. "It.. _it was_ _her that day"_ Reiner stutters out with wide eyes mimicking Bertoldt's. " _She's the one.."_ Bertoldt barely says, still in shock and fear of Ymir's Titan being the one from so long ago.

The pair watches as she runs along the tower wall to stab her claws into a Titans eyes, before lunging back and leaping forward to tear out another napes while a third slowly tries to grab at her. She flips and kicks off it's head, throwing it forward to crash into the tower. The impact nearly makes Krista fall over the edge, but Reiner grabs her leg before she could fall. She looks back at him to thank him when she feels his grip on her leg tightening, casueing her to cry out in pain.

"Thank you Reiner I- UGGHHH! _Stop you're hurting me!"_ Connie steps up to try and pull the blondes hand off, and is startled for a moment to see the expression on his face. Reiner isn't even staring at _them, or anything,_ his face is completely dull but his eyes.. _his eyes hold an anger_ that's resurfacing from so long ago. "Hey take it easy man, thats enough! Let go! Let GO!!" The boy looks startled at what he appently doesn't seem to notice _doing_ a _lmost_ as if he were caught up in a trance. He quickly lets go and apologizes for hurting her, after all she was the one person he would _never_ want to hurt.

"Ss-sorry!" But Krista wave it off with a "That's alright." Reiner asks her the most obvious question and Nanaba, Bertoldt and Marco all take their eyes off the battle below to listen as well. "Krista tell me the truth, you had to be in on this. Ymir's a Titan, _how could you not know?"_


	57. 57-(Un)Welcome Guests

**Alright sorry for the cliffhanger ending but I hit the word limit, _again._ Next chapter or the one after we finally hit the Clash Arc!! As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Aftermath_ - _(Un)Welcome Guests_

".. _How could you not know?"_ Reiners words hit Krista hard as she too feels overwheed by all of this, but still she _never_ thought _this_ was the secret Ymir was keeping.

"She never told me, we were inseparable, and yet..I had no idea..Ymir.. _How?"_ Said girl leapt forward to slash a Titans eyes before jumping back to the safety of the tower. She hangs there on one arm and lets loose a challenging shriek that hurts their ears. Reiner is the first to speak as the ringing in his ears stops, "Not sure what to make of it. All this time she's kept it under wraps, and We never suspected a damn thing."

He looks to see James and Annie fending off Titans by double teaming the larger ones father back, leaving the 10 meter and smaller ones to Ymir. Bertoldt and Macro agree about the situation, though Marco is still scared about seeing James over there fighting with a titan who he's _certain is Annie._ He chooses to stay silent for the moment.

Connies speaks up for Ymir, though he still sounds as if he's trying to figure it out as he talks.

"Well it's possible _she didn't know,_ Eren was caught off guard. He had no clue till he transformed, but then again Ymir did seem to have a plan." as he remembers her statement to Bertoldt. Krista doesn't like the tone he's using, or what he's insinuating and asks him in disbelief.

"Wait are you trying to say that _Ymir is a threat? She's fighting for us right now! And so are the other two!"_ Pointing to the Mauler and Female Titans locked in combat.

Nanaba steps forward to tell them all "Listen this is alot for us all to take in, but let's not make snap decisions. We did that on the expedition and it backfired on us drastically. Krista, I'm agreeing with you about a 3 of them but Connie is also right. They are fighting for us, but we don't know _why_ regarding the Mauler and Female titans. Why the sudden switch in behavior from what we saw days ago? We don't know, and until we do we should just try to keep our heads focused, agreed?" Looking around at all of their faces, before she notices the cadet named Marco straying a but further from them.

He's looking away from them and she can see he's watching the Mauler with some _fear in his eyes._ _'Hes probably afraid that it'll come for him, though from that pairs behavior, I say that things might've changed again. I guess we'll find out once we get out of this mess.'_ She thinks to herself, and calls his name twice. "Marco? _Marco!_ " The boy finally snaps to and turns his head to face her before replying with a slow nod, taking a deep swallow down his throat.

"Yeah, y-your right. Lets just focus on staying alive. Help will come, right?" He asks to no one in particular, more to himself if he's honest.

James isn't sure about what's going on right now, the past ten minutes have been mind boggling for him in terms of info overload. The scouts are all at the top of the tower watching them, though he isn't sure what they're thinking. He and Annie are doing well enough to get in a breather before the next wave hits them, and he takes the chance to look over to where Annie claimed _Ymir was fighting._

He almost didn't believe her at first till she told how she saw the freckled girl transform before her eyes. When she had finished telling him however, he could see something in her eyes, a deep _anger_ at _Ymir_ for what reason, he doesn't know. All he knows that she's kicking all sorts of ass over there from the brutal way she takes their foes down.

He appreciates and is intrigued by the behavior of her attacks. They actually remind him alot of himself, using all the body has at it's disposal to kill whatever got in your way. Nothing like the sparing style or lack of she showed back in their cadet days. In fact it almost seemed to make more sense as to why she didn't have a style, but could still be lethal and fast in a fist fight.

It's animalistic, like his, but with her it seems like she's..reluctant. ' _Unused for so long like me, or she doesn't want to use it but it's getting control?_ _And why is Annie so mad at her?'_ Shaking his head he looks around for his deadly girlfriend, seeing her high kick an abnormal, decapitating it in the process.

He decides to ask her about it, and calls out to her in a neutral shriek. " _So what's with you two? Why do you look ready to kill her? I mean she's helping us out alot, and that leaves us time to make sure we can plan an escape."_ He ducks under a swing before launching fast from the ground teeth first. The sight wouldve been terrifying to the Titan if it had intelligence, but to any who were watching it had the desired effect. She doesn't respond, and James sees her drive her hardened fingers directly into a Titans eye socket, before tearing the head apart with a snarl worthy of him.

The act actually makes him look at her with more attention, he's never seen her like this before. The bruatlity of her attacks don't scare or disgust him in the least, after all he's done them and _much worse_ to Titans as if they were regular forms of fighting. It's the fact that _she's_ doing it that puzzles him, he's seen her angry before, at Mikasa, at Reiner, and even Eren. She doesn't act like this when she's usually pisses, she fights cold hard and precise. Deadly strikes with measured force and tactical training, not the sadistic and _vengeful_ way she's killing the Titans around her now.

 _It reminds him of **himself** when he buried his sister_ _and parents_.

He remembers at the time he didn't care for actual fighting style, all he wanted to do was dish out the pain. He acted less human towards his enemies with their large stupid grins, waiting for their next meal, and slaughtered them like an animal. _'Shes fighting with vengence on her mind, just like I was. And it's something to do with Ymir?'_ He calls out to her again, louder than time with a bit of bite to it.

" _Hey! C'mon, talk to me Annie. What's wrong, is it because of Ymir?"_ she doesn't respond but looks over to him, and he sees a cold glare on her face just like the one she gave when they first met, after he pissed her off for the first and last time. It makes him stop, and still not getting an answer, he makes his way over to her. He roars a bit louder at her, " _Annie stop it, you know you can talk to me. I'm gonna find out eventually, what's your problem with her? Don't act like you can't hear me."_

She tears a 14 meters spine out and crushes it in her hands as she looks at Ymir with a death glare. She spits a rasp back to him " _Shes the one who killed Marcel, and she's been hiding who she was this whole time! She has no right to become that monster again!"_ James was usnsure how to respond, and said nothing as he resumed fighting. But he keeps an eye on Annie to make sure she doesn't do anything rash to the freckled shifter who currently was in the process of biting out yet _another_ nape. He watches as Ymir goes to leap away before one of her legs gets snagged by a Titan, and she tries to escape but biting it's hand off.

 _'Oh shit'_ James thinks as he moves to get closer, before another trio of larger 15 meters step in his way. He growls low and snarled out _'I don't have time for this!'_ as he lunged to take them out as fast as possible. As Ymir attempts to get away, yet again _another_ Titan grabs both of her legs, and she tries to hold on to the shaky tower. She and James notice the structure not being in the best condition to be handling the strain, and in a shocking act, she lets go to fall to the tians below her.

Connie and the rest are still watching the battle from above and shouts out "Whoa what is she doing?!" He sees Ymir land on a Titans shoulders, digging her talons in ones eyes and her feet claws in another neck to stabilize herself. She lets out a wild sounding roar and begins to kill those around her.

"Oh c'mon, she's worried about the tower falling down?!" Krista speaks up, not believing it either. "Exactly, she didn't have to stay. She could've chosen to escape, there's nothing keeping her here.. _It's us. She's risking her life for us..who are you, why are you doing this?_ " Ever since she met the freckled girl years ago, she aways made itvclear that she wasn't hiding anything, that she was straightforward with everything she did. Even if it was selfish and for her in gain, she told Krista about it.

 _'She tells me to live a life I can be proud of, and yet she has the nerve to try sacrificing herself?!'_ she thinks with a rising anger. She stands higher on the ledge of the tower and yells at ymir, who's having trying to defend herself on the ground. She still looks up in annoyance at the short blonde.

"Don't you die on me damn you! You wanna be the _hero all_ of a sudden? Hoping to go out in a blaze of glory?! Ha! Too late to think about heaven now, _your a selfish bitch and you know it!_ You'll die protecting this stupid tower, tear it to pieces! Live for yourself!!!" Connie grabs her at the end of her rant to keep her from falling over, and everyone else looks at the girl in shock. Everyone except Ymir who leaps at the tower and begins throwing the bricks holding it up at the Titans, striking them hard in the body or face.

James hears the shrill yelling coming from Krista, and looks over to see Ymir start destroying the tower. _'What the fuck Ymir!?'_ He thinks as he rushes forward to try and stabalize it, but he see Ymir climb high up and fast to the top. Annie is wide eyed at the bizzare turn of events. _'What is she doing?! They're gonna go down with the damn thing!'_ She thinks as she then runs after James.

Reiner just finishes yelling "Brace yourselves people this is happening!"

Ymir arrives at the top of the tower, the group looking at her terrifying form up close. In a strangled voice that has an echo to it, she _actually talks_ to them.

" _Wanna live? Grab on tight!"_ They obey her order, though they are cautious about where they grab. With both hands, or one in Reiners case, they all grab handfuls of Ymir's long hair before she turns to face the ground as the tower tips over on its side.

James gets to the tower just before it falls on him, and turns to shield Annie before they get covered in rubble. But before he goes under, he hears something familiar. _Horses, and the sound of gas rigs firing off._

 _'Scouts, Thank god...And godammit'_


	58. 58Aftermath-Strike First Question Later

**Ok sorry for another cliffhanger, but that damn word limit always gets me right when things get good. _Big reveal soon,_** **probably (Hopefully)next chapter. I** **hope you all are ready! As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Aftermath-Strike First Question Later_

 _'Shit!!!'_ is all James thinks as he leaps at Annie and shields her from the tower collapsing on top of them and the almost dozen worth of titans left. Annie tucks into herself and hardens her nape and head, while he uses his armored hide and dreds to shield both her and his own nape. With the layer of protection they both have, they should be fine. All they would have to do is dig their way out before the next set of problems find them, _The Scouts._

' _It's about damn time they showed up, but now I gotta think before I do anything next. Connie, Krista and the rest are right there, I can miss this chance. What do I do?'_ He thinks as the rumbling and falling of bricks finally settles to a stop, and he starts trying to wiggle upwards. James can still feel airflow, which means he and Annie aren't buried too deep, and starts to get some leaway when he hears similar sounds.

 _'Aw don't tell me those other fucks survived too, dammit!'_ and he shakes harder and harder to free his arms and legs. Annie tries hardening and swiping her arm back and forth till she gets more and more momentum to move. He uses his armored skull to bash the rock behind his head, almost like a bird pecking but in reverse. _'Cmon, just a little more!'_ He thinks as he starts to feel less weight on his body, and finally with a victorious roar he breaks free from the rubble.

' _Finally!'_ He crawls out and begins to pull away the rest from Annie so that she can climb out as well. Pulling her to her feet, he gives a low whine and asks " _Are you alright? Do you need to exit your form?"_ She shook her head at his question, but she greatly appreciates his concern. She rasped back with more warmth in her voice than the last time she spoke to him.

" _I'm fine, don't worry about me. Where are the others? We need to find them before the other scouts corner us."_ He nods and looks around them before he hears a shriek of pain and a bashing sound of bone on stone. Behind him he spots Ymir getting overwhelmed very quickly as the group she kept from falling watch in fear. The last 10 Titans all jump onto Ymir and start tearing her apart, and James roars defiance as he charges. He's halfway to her when she finally cries out, but not from the pain of being torn apart.

" _No, forget me! BEHIND YOU, SAVE HER!!"_ and he turns to see Krista running towards Ymir, but he also sees that a small 6 meter hides behind a corner that the blonde can't see around. If she goes any further it'll be close enough to grab and kill her, and James turns back to look into Ymir's black eyes as he makes his choice. _'Im sorry Ymir, but I'll listen to what you want. Forgive me'_ he thinks as he turns to sprint towards Krista instead, while Ymir gets torn into pieces even further.

The Titan nears the corner and Krista is frozen in fear, but before James can reach it a figure flies past him and kills it with a spinning flurry of blades. He stops to take in who it is, and finds himself growling at the one person who singlehandedly stopped Annie from getting out of Stohess. ' _Ackerman_ '

He spots other scouts arriving and hurries to return and cover Annie. Ymir is saved when a dozen scouts including those from the Raid two days ago zip in and kill the group eating away at her Titan form. James spots the southern group reuniting with Eren, who crashed after finally claiming a kill on Odm gear. Had they still been friends James might've laughed, but instead he steps in front on Annie while keeping his eyes on the next threat. He roars a threat to those who begin eyeing him, including Eren and Mikasa themselves.

He hears orders being called out from the same section leader he let go in Stohess even after she captured him and Annie. Hange yells out orders in a serious tone, that only the veterans scouts had ever heard used when she wasn't in her mad scientist mode.

"Split into two teams, half of you recover the southern group. The rest are with me, do engage, _I repeat do not engage the Mauler and Female Titans._ _Keep your blades sheathed_ and stay together! Any who disregard this will be met by extreme hostility from the pair, and _I will not_ risk sending others to defend or recover your corpse because of your poor decision to disobey direct orders! That includes you too Eren, _Do not shift or attack them! Is_ _that understood?!"_

Though the scouts are shocked at these seemingly _mad_ set of commands, they all still give choruses of assent to her. "Yes Section Commander!". Eren and his stepsister are reluctant in agreeing to it at first, though they ultimately do. James doesn't relax as easily, keeping his crouching stance in front of Annie till she puts a hand on his shoulder from behind. He turns to glance back at her, and sees that she's in critical thinking mode. She rasps to him in a firm but calm tone.

" _James just relax a bit, she's not engaging us, none if them are. Let's not_ _give them a reason to."_ He responds in disbelief in a confused growl " _What?? I say we leave now, before they get more people here who I'll have to kill should they be trying to hide their attack!"_

Annie shook her head at him, and points to the section Commander who stood about 14 meters away from the arguing pair. She tells James again " _Look, she's had the perfect chance to attack us while we're arguing and yet she hasn't. You let her go in Stohess for doing the same thing remember?"_ James pauses and recalls his lest meeting with the glasses wearing scout, and finds his rational side agreeing with her. Annie sees that he's calming down and goes on " _We'll play nice for now, you and me can use the chance to say our goodbyes. Then we can leave, I promise. That sound good to you?"_

He finds himself agreeing even more at her offer, and begins to rise out of his combat stance. He sighed in his Titan form before growling low to her, but without any agression. " _Your right, she did try to negotiate with us, even after I so killed many of them. I'll go along with it and say our goodbyes. But if they try anything, I'm snagging you up and flying out if here without a second thought, agreed?"_

James sees Annie nod her head, and gives a pleased moan at his acceptance of her more rational option. It's helping keep him from doing something he might regret later on. After all, _he_ _does want to tell his side of the story_ to the rest of his friends. It'll make him still look like a good person to some of them if he doesn't show them how... _monstrous_ he can be when provoked. If the scouts leave him be, he won't have to resort to that. But if they don't, well... _They would get their monster._

He takes a deep breath to calm himself visibly and looks to the section leader still looking to him, taking note of how her blades and her teams are still in their cases. He looks to Annie who gives a reassuring nod before he walks slowly towards the group in a neutral stance. While a few gave nervous jitters and held scared expressions, the red headed scientist stood unmoving, facing him in all his terrifying glory. She steps forward to talk him as if they were everyday aquaintences, and it actually brings some humor to his focused mind.

"Cadet Draekon, or James. How do you wish to be addressed as, the latter or the former? I'd prefer to know if we're going to indeed talk."

She waits for an answer, which brings an odd hissing sound from that sounds like _laughter_ to her. She watches in a slight bit of shock as he drops to one knee keeping a hand on the ground, and exits his Titans nape. He steps onto his shell's shoulder to reply to her question. He stretched his body and feels a few things pop, the rush of blood feeling great going through his legs and arms.

"Whichever works, though I prefer my first name if you would be so kind." He sees the scout give a nod and a small smile as she then turns her head to give more orders to her assistant Moblit.

"Make sure the southern group is given medical attention if they need it, provisions, blankets, the basics. Make sure to get reports from each of them as well, and And I also want Nanaba to meet with me as soon as possible, I need an account of everything that's happened since we split up."

The weary field assistant gives a nod of assent "Understood, I'll send her over when I find her." He goes to carry out his orders and Hange turns her head back to James. She watches as he begins to climb down but Annie gives him her hand to step on to. She lowers him to the ground where he steps off and gives her a smile. "Thanks Ann" She gives a small smile before she turns her eyes to Hange and the rest. Her eyes finally spot Mikasa and Eren joining her with angered expressions on their faces, probably pissed at them not being able to attack herself and James.

James however steps forward without a care to ask the section leader a question "If we agree to talk, I want it to be clear that neither of us get attacked. Not a sword, no nets, anything that resembles a weapon of some sort at Annie or me, or else we'll defend ourselves with full force. If you and the rest act peaceful, we'll play nice and chat with you before we leave. I think it seems fair enough, don't you?"

Eren steps forward at James choice of words "Play _nice_? Where the hell do you get off giving orders here after what you've done?! You-" But Hange steps in to cut him off with a hardened stare to _shut up._ She turns to look at James again and responds to his question.

"I think that seems reasonable enough, but _I_ also want something. If we're going to talk I want to hear from _both_ of you. She knows more than you do, that _I_ _know_ for a fact. She talks with us as well, and we promise we won't harm you or her. Is that acceptable?".

James looks at her for moment, about her own demand in exchange for information. Looking up to Annie he looks for her answer, to which she nods her approval and begins to exit her nape as well. James looks back to answer the section leader who has a crazed look only seen in her eyes of new knowledge being presented to her. The rest of her face is serious, but he can tell it's just to seem like she's in charge of it all, though the control is mutual. He gives a half smirk as he tells the anxious scout.

"Well you know her answer, so let's get down to business shall we?"


	59. 59 Clash-Tensions

**Here we go, as you can tell we're _finally_ starting the Clash of the Titans Arc! I've been itching to write this Arc even more than I was the Female Titan Arc, so this will be _quite_ a long Arc. It'll start from where episode 6 began to the season finale of season 2. Will have a few other Povs in the later half aside from James such as Ymir and the other members of the 104. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash of the Titans-Tensions_

James was lead to the top of the wall alongside Annie and the rest of the scouts, but he and her kept a manageable distance to stay safe. Annie recieved a spare Odm rig to climb up with since she didn't have one herself. James still had his from the 57th expedition, but it had hardly been used, and so the gas tanks were near full. He'd only used it to sneak into Stohess, the rest of the time he travelled on foot using his Titan. It was nice to ride upon a horse again, even if it would be only for a short time. It let him take in more detail about those around him. From the scouts who rode farther back in fear of him, to his friends who tried to get closer but also wanted to stay safe.

He couldn't blame them, after all he'd emerged from the neck of the Titan they had been told betrayed and slaughtered a lot of their fellow soldiers. While they were eager to try and pry for answers from him, he told them they would all be informed once they got to the top of Wall Rose. Hange had overheard the one sided conversations and gave intructions to hold off until they were on higher ground, and decided to keep an eye on the injured and currently unconscious shifter, Ymir.

From the surprise that everyone in the 104 showed it was clear that none of them, Draekon and Leonhardt included knew about her ability. Many of them didn't even know where she was from now that they really tried to ask themselves. It lead to suspicion about the freckled girl, but her most fierce defenders included the newly declared _Historia_ _Reiss_ that James had heard Krista declare as her real name to the freckled girl who fought so hard to defend her. And the other defender was _Bertoldt_ surprisingly, though James couldn't really see his reasoning for being so adiment about her wellness.

James and the rest minus Annie recalled and were grateful for her actions at the tower, Reiner hadn't really expressed what he felt, apparently he was angered and afraid of Ymir's titan as well. Annie had kept her thoughts to herself, but James could see her give an icy glare at the unconscious girl now and then. Everyone else, especially the southern group and James defended her. But they weren't sure how to view the gravely injured shifter who was being carried on horseback tied to a cot.

 _'Quite a conundrum, but I don't see what the problem Reiner and Annie seem to have with her. Sure he and Ymir were rival competitors for Krist-No, **Historia's** affection back then, but that doesn't explain this._

 _And why is Bertoldt so anxious about her? He's never really shown interest in her before, at least not to me. Hmm maybe I'll ask him in private once these little negotions are over. Before I finally go.'_ He thinks to himself as he lets out a sigh, finally arriving at the wall he landed on nearly an hour ago by wing.

Now it was time for them to get on top of the wall and head out, both factions for their own destination. The scouts for their HQ or whatever, and James with Annie to her village. He couldn't care less where they went, as long as they didn't try and stop him from going where _he_ wanted. The process doesn't take long, though there is abit of commotion on how to transport Ymir to the top before James suggests that two of the larger people of the group carry her together.

Bertoldt offers to be his partner for the task, and is grateful for the tall boys help. Normally he would've asked Reiner but he was having a hard enough time getting up due to his cast. That and whatever problem he and Annie had towards her made him reconsider the option entirely. Neverthelesss as the last of the soldiers arrive at the top after James and Bertoldt, things begin to grow tense with the looming talks between James, Annie, his friends and the scouts.

Hange suggests that only the vital members of the talks converse slightly away to ease some of the tension filling the air, and so comes the time to pick just who gets to be right in the middle of it. Now while James knows Hange will still tell her superiors all that she learns, he asks her for some privacy regarding the more _heartfelt_ words from him to his friends directly. It's no one's business but his and theirs, and only those _he_ deems worthy, which include the section leader. She's eligible to be present for the more _private_ matters because of her better judgement, which James has come to respect since Stohess.

 _'Speaking of which that isn't going to be an easy topic to blow off. But I do wonder just how many are gone because of Eren's poor decision. Maybe I'll ask him directly about it'_ He thinks with a bit of satisfied relish towards the end, and though he knows it will only bring more tension, he doesn't care.

He told Eren from the start about what would happen should he choose wrong, and yet he still seems to be just as ignorant with how he reacted to seeing James at the ruins of Utgard Castle. If he dared call James a monster yet again, _he_ will be the one put in the spotlight. He will have to answer the difficult questions in front of their friends, about why so many died when it could've been easily avoided.

"So who are your picks, who do you wish to be present for this?" Hange asks casually, though she knows from the way James and Annie look at each other that this is quite personal. She watches as the short blonde gives him a reassuring nod, and he speaks up to answer her.

" _Everyone_ from the 104th, including Marco Bodt. And I don't care if he doesn't _want_ to be present, he _deserves_ to be on the spot for for what's he's done _to me_. I also want the leading scout from their group present, though I think you already picked her for one of your choices."

"Oh Nanaba? Your guess is right, I already had her slated for this since she's the only one left from those in charge of the southern group. We're not sure about Miche, but the rest of them we've recovered the bodies of from the tower ruins. I'm obviously having Moblit be present to document this, as well as Nifa and Keiji just as witnesses." At eh mention of one missing individual James and Annie remember the partial remains they discovered at the cluster of buildings.

As the blonde haired woman James assumed was Nanaba since he'd seen her with Reiner and the others at the tower approaches, he asks a question of her. "You say that Miche split from your group to buy you all time to warn the other villages? Where you forced to split near a cluster of buildings?" The woman nodded at his question and had an anxious look on her face as she waited to hear about the man's fate.

With a heavy sigh and somber tone James delivers the news as carefully as possible to ease the blow. "I'm not sure whether or not it was him but..as Annie and I flew throughout the interior we came to a small group of buildings that looked to be recently abandoned. We tried to search and see if they were inhabited, but we came upon a... _set of remains_."

An uncomfortable silence settled among everyone listening, and James took a moment to close his eyes before once again taking sight of the blonde woman who gasped. He knew this wasn't going to be easy for them to hear based off of that reaction, but he went on.

"The body was unidentifiable but it was definitely a scout from the jacket we spotted in the mess. I'm sorry but if you haven't found him, he's most likely that set of remains. We must've arrived too late because it wasn't too decomposed, it happened maybe an hour before we got there. Again I'm sorry to tell you the news."

James sees Nanaba flinch hard, her face wincing as she accepted it, and James wondered if perhaps the two had been good friends or something more. A tear silently made its way down her left cheek but she didn't make any noise as she wiped it away. With a shaky breath she tells the shifter "T-thank you, I'm sure there was nothing you could've done. It wasn't your fault, and again _thank you_ for telling me. I'd rather know he went down fighting then not knowing at all."

James nodded slowly at her and could see Hange put a hand on the woman's shoulder. He too could see the news of the man's death hit her hard too, if he recalled right he was one of the major leaders of the Scouts. They all must've been close, like how James, Reiner, and Connie all were. Sure all of his friends were close to him in the same way, but Eren Mikasa and Armin had separated themselves from that when they chose to ignore and trap him.

Jean was alright in his book, even if he did try once to strike at him. He got the message _real quick_ to leave him be when James crushed that scout in front of him and Armin. James hadn't seen him with any of the other scouts, and nor had he seen Sasha either which made him worry. He would have to ask Hange if she had seen or heard any word from her. Marco was also out of his friends list, he betrayed James trust without waiting for a proper explanation to his actions on the expedition. Armin would probably be extra on edge than he usually was under pressure.

 _'I wonder_ _if he'll even meet my eyes again after what I showed him. But it was one very important lesson for him, I hope he learned it.'_ James thinks to himself amused as he can already picture the blondes fearful expression. He also thinks that Marco will be a similar case, since the boy knows that James knows he sold him out. As Hange gave the orders of who to collect to her assistant Moblit, James took a moment to ready himself. Mentally for the scrutiny he will face from some, and physically should someone like Eren or Mikasa attempt to strike at him in Retalliation for his actions in Stohess.

James isn't a fool, he knows that no one here us going to turn a blind eye to what happened there and on the expedition. As their faces begin to approach his and Hange's group, a final thought enters his mind before leaving quickly.

 _'I hope that even if they don't forgive me, that they at least understand why.'_ He sighed as they reached him, and started to open their mouths. ' _Oh_ _well, its time to find out'._


	60. 60 Clash-Morality

**Here we go! Big verbal showdown between James and his friends with the Scouts being in the back soaking it in. To Lil'Manuel.G not sure how it was short, I think it was about 8 or 9 paragraphs for just the expedition but I'll try to explain more. 1985: Good eye, but _not_ _just yet_. That's all I can say. This confrontation will be about 3 chapters alone before we get the** **big reveal. Hope you guys like the twist I pull when it all comes to a head, can't wait to see your reactions. I know you've all been waiting for it. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Morality_

The members of the special meeting all stood facing each other, the scouts one one end with James and Annie on the other. A few members of the southern group stood off to the side between both, buy their faces were mostly on James. A few still held anger, like Eren and Mikasa while others like Connie and Historia looked at him with somewhat mixed expressions. They seemed glad to know that he was alive but still shocked at knowing his identity as a Titan. And then there were those who were holding more anxious faces, Armin, Bertoldt and Reiner, and finally _Marco_.

The boy had fear visible in his eyes as he stayed behind a few of their friends in the background, trying not to be noticable. The act made James narrow his eyes at him, and he adressed him about his cowardice. "Oh don't try hiding now Marco, I'm right here in front of you. Come on out, where everyone can see and hear what you did." Everyone except the Stohess group reacted to this accusation with confused faces, and turned to face the freckled boy. As he came to the front with everyone else Eren stepped forward angrily at James before Armin put an arm on his shoulder, however his words couldn't be stopped.

" _You have some nerve talking like that! You don't have any right to be angry at him after everything that you've done!"._

James stands unwavered, though his eyes harden visibly to those who watch his face. He replies in an icy tone they had once heard him use on Jean the night of graduation, just before Trost was invaded. "Oh I don't, do I? I have no right to explain that all I've done is defend myself from your ignorance? Let me jog my memory a bit, and in turn jog _yours_ suicidal _idiot_. I told my secret to Marco in Trost and he told it to almost everyone after the 57th expedition without waiting to hear about the reasons why I did what I did. So excuse me if I've got a bone to pick with him for hiding in the back like a coward."

 _"H-hey wait,_ there's something I have to ask.."

Connie stepped forward hesitantly between the two and addressed James with a shaky tone. Connie found himself in the spotlight of his glare for a moment before James face relaxed instantly, listening. "Go ahead Connie, it's why we're all here." It was almost unnerving how quickly his face changed, but Connie persevered.

" _Why'd you do what you did out there? Why did you kill so many people?"_

James stared hard for a moment, his gaze softening before he sighed. Turning to Hange he asked her a question. "Before I start explaining things, I must know something squad leader. Do you know where Sasha Braus is? _Is she safe, is she alive?"_ Their faces are surprised, even Eren's is at the where abouts of the hungry girl. Then they realized from the tone he asked in, as well as the face he had, that he was _worried_ about her. They all recalled that he was closest to her aside from Annie herself in their training days, but now it prompted another question, _Why?_

Hange stepped forward to answer his question with a gentle tone "Cadet Braus is fine, she's currently running out orders for reinforcements to secure the wall and regroup with Commander Erwin as they search for the breach. May I ask _why_ your so curious about where she is?" James gives a small smile as he hears the news, relived that she's fine. He replied in a more normal time than the cold one her used with Eren, and the worried one he used just a few moments ago.

"She's my family section leader, it's only natural to wonder if those you care about are alive and well. Wouldnt you agree? Mainly it's because I haven't seen her since yesterday in Dauper and today noticed she wasn't with either of your groups. I was very worried, and thank you for the news."

Hange tilted her head at hearing they had met with each other, as well as him calling her his _family_. A possibility came to her _'Could the girl be like him, a shifter in hiding inside the walls?'_ She decided to ask Draekon about it. "You say that she's your family, are you implying that she is like you? A Titan shifter in hiding?" She watches as they all look surprised, before they all look on in plain shock as James starts laughing hard. With slight tears of _hilarity_ coming from his eyes he has to catch his breath before replying.

" _As if!_ I mean can any of you imagine if _she_ were a Titan? Her Titan form would probably be scarier than mine, and she'd be searching everywhere for food nonstop with her new senses! Haha!" He wipes away a tear, and he could've sworn he saw Connie and Reiner crack slight smiles before they tried looking serious again.

"Haa...no section leader, she's definitely _not_ a Titan. Sorry to disappoint, but I call her my closest family because her and her father took me in when I ran away for two years. I met her again yesterday while searching the interior for the southern group, and I had a feeling that she would have returned to one of your groups. But uh where were we? _Ah_ yes, explaining why I've done the things I've done.

Well Connie I'll ask you this, I'll ask you all this. Do _you want the full story? Every **grisly** detail, or the more friendly quick version?_ Which do you want to hear? I know which Hange wants to hear even if it disgusts her, but which one are _you_ prepared for?"

He waits as they all look to each other, asking questions in low voices, and he knows that Reiner and Bertoldt might want for him to tell them like he did to the two of them in Trost. Marco is still avoiding looking at James, Connie and Historia seeming to be curious to know. But his eyes do notice that Eren and Mikasa don't take part in the discussion. They stare right at him unwavering with hard eyes, and he returns their glares with a dark glint of amuesment in his own eyes.

' _Sooo_ _stubborn, and yet I truely wonder how they'll react to hearing about it all. Will they even listen or just think of ways to take my skull in their defiance of the truth?'_ Looking to the rest of the group he notices that they seem to have come up with an answer. Surprisingly it's Armin who steps forward to speak for them all, and James can see a flicker of fear just like he predicted for a moment on his face, before it's replaced by the same determined look he had in Stohess.

"We want to know the whole thing, from Shinganshina to Stohess, to _now_." James can't say he isn't impressed with the boys tone, or the fact that he's using the same one he yelled at James with in Stohess about being a liar. The same one James punished him for in a way when he crushed that scout in front of him and Jean. He tilts his head and replies to the blondes declaration in a tone in which one would use at an arrogant child.

"Watch your tone Armin, remember the last time you used it with me? We're all here to _play nice,_ so you might want to remind _them that_." And James gives a nod to Eren and his sister as he sees the blonde's face pale a little at the memory surfacing from Stohess. Said pair growl a little at being addressed that way, but James doesn't give them any further attention as he readies himself to tell his full story.

 _'It shouldn't take long, it's barely 2 hours since day break, which means that we won't have to stay here till night. Annie and I can find a nice forest to hold up and recover in for the night, and set out for her village at full speed (or flight?) tomorrow.'_ He thinks to himself, satisfied with how things are going so far, even if it is a bit of a rocky start.

"Well, there isn't much to tell about the 3 years we all trained together, which leaves about my upbringing to Trost. And everything afterwards." At the mention of the city all the 104th, James included flinch as they remembered the single bloody day of absolute _Hell_ they all endured together. Even Mikasa's gasps as her composure skips a bit, but Eren too slips up, remembering seeing all the dead before he transformed for the first time.

The bodies of Thomas, Mina, all those who protected him and James as they carried the boulder, and hearing the final casualty count after his trial. It all flows through his head, and he sees James get ready to continue.

"Now while I didn't tell you I was a shifter, there are parts of my life that I did tell you after a few..minor changes to keep myself safe. But let's start from the beginning, when I was born my parents decided that I would be the one to take the mantle of Warrior to humanity from them. From the moment I could walk I was taught how to fight, how to read which I seemed to have a passion for, and the small bit of history my parents knew of our kind.

Now like I said it wasn't much, but they still made it clear that someone like me wouldn't be safe if they were exposed inside these walls. So I was taught as soon as I could understand the world around me to control my ability, so that I didn't accidentally transform and cause trouble for me and my family. By the time I was 8 I fully mastered everything about my Titan. During my training they had another child, my sister _E_ _ve_ , who I grew to be very protective of. She helped motivate me to get better, so that I could protect her if even without using my power. But things... started to seem _off_ to me after awhile.

I noticed that my parents never mentioned why I trained so hard, I thought it was just to become a strong person. They told me that one day they would reveal everything to me, and so I trained harder waiting for that day. On my 10th birthday, for my wish I asked once more _why_.I learned the reason why I endured fightimg till my bones broke _again_ _and again even_ though I knew they would heal. Why I ran until I _collapsed_ from exhaustion from training sunrise to sunset. _Why I was able to kill a full grown man and any Titan I met by the age of 8_ , when normal kids were off enjoying themselves and playing with friends.

The answer drove me to abandon my own family to escape the weight of what I was raised to be.

 _I was raised to be a Warrior, for humanity."_


	61. 61 Clash-Childhood

**Here we go, double update because this is quite a big moment in the story for _All_ of the characters. Writing through pain from an ear infection I'm getting treated for as I write this, but it's the only thing that I can do with my time that doesn't hurt much. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to give you guys your anxiously awaited for chapters! Warning, gets graphic here. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Childhood_

" _I was raised to be a Warrior for humanity."_

As James paused to gather his thoughts and catch his breath, he failed to notice Reiner and Bertoldt's eyes twitch for a moment at the word _Warrior_. He went to continue but Connie interrupted him with a question that seem fairly obvious to those around him.

"So your saying... _that you had no choice_? That your parents didn't even consider _not_ putting you through all of that?" And James smiled a little, bitterly as he shook his head. Looking off to the interior of Wall rose he spoke to them all with a more... remeniscent tone.

"No, like I said they wanted to pass the mantle of that responsibility onto me. And since I didn't want to bear it, I was forced to make a decision. I never wanted that weight on my shoulders, so I did the only thing I could think of: I ran away. I left the same night while they were all sleeping, no note, no goodbyes, nothing. About the only thing I regretted at the time was leaving my sister, but I was too caught up in my own issues to let it come into my mind.

I was too angry, and in shock. Why would they make me become _that_ without even asking about what _I_ _wanted_? What child should have that thrust upon them after patiently waiting for an answer for so long? Mind you I was a much more... _efficient_ person physically and mentally, but I still had the mindest of a kid."

He pauses and a few of them look like they want to say something, but they stay silent. Hange is the only one with any change in her behavior, while hesitant at glimpsing into just _what kind of home_ the boy was raised in, she still absorbed all the knowledge like a rag in water. It made her pity and sympathize with the boy who didn't even recieve the choice to have as normal of a childhood as one can have inside the walls. Eren and Mikasa were still unmoved, but his story seemed to have gotten their interest as their ears perked as he continued.

"Now while I didn't _hate_ my parents for what they did, I resented them enough to run away without looking back. I only though of Eve after I left, but I knew that she would be safe with them rather than with me. I was just a kid, what did I know of raising a child? After all she was treated better, the bit of training I was able to witness her experience wasn't as intense. I do wish that I could've seen her in action, since I never got to see what her Titan form looked like, though I suspect it would've probably been a feminine version of mine. Now this is where you already know a part of my story, because it involves Sasha and I first meeting, about a month after I left."

They all give slight nods except for Hange who peered a bit closer waiting for an explanation to the story, which James took note of. He went to start when Mikasa spoke for the first time he'd seen her since Stohess. He raised an eyebrow as her interruption, but allowed it nonetheless. ' _Perhaps she would say something wrong and I'll have the chance to put her in her place-'_ But instead she asks him something that throws him off completely.

"At what age did you first kill? Human, Titan or animal, it doesn't matter. How long have you been the monster of a person you are now?" He narrowed his eyes and went to reply when she ammended her statement "When was the first time you killed a Titan, a beast like yourself?" And James finds himself involuntarily flinching as the memory started to fill his mind. His eyes widen as he stares past them at something none of them can see. His breathing becomes faster, more irregular, his hands start shaking, his face twitches slightly.

 _'Why that?!'_ He thinks as it all starts coming back to him, the background, the weather, even the goddamn _smell_ from that day. The first day he has ever felt absolute _fear_.

 _Flashback_

 _"Dad what are you doing?!" the boy screams ah he watches his father's Titan form stay away from the mindless Titan walking towards his son with it's sickeningly hungry grin terrifying the boy._

 _'He's just sitting there watch it happen, why isn't he killing it?!?'_

 _His father watches the act taking place before him, not changing his demeanor. He replies with his Titans vocal cords, a sharp pair of barks with an echo of a screech behind them. James still understands the words somehow in his head._

 _"You wanna live? Kill it! This is the first step to using your Titan! You won't know what to do when the time comes if you let yourself become lost in your fear, in your emotions! **Fight! Kill it!"**_

 _Flashback end_.

They all see the change in James attitude and begin backing away slightly, even Annie is hesitant to get closer to him. Mikasa doesn't give such a change, and is about to sneer at him when she sees James shaking his head slowly with returning calm. He glares directly into the Euro-Asians emotionless eyes and spat at her.

" _No, Ask something else."_

But she doesn't relent, and fires back with bite. " _No_. You want to tell your story, with all it's _grisly details, then talk_. Come out where everyone can see you for what you are."

He took a step at her and everyone but Mikasa, Hange and Eren backed off. But surprisingly Annie reach's forward to stop him after she deathglares Ackerman to the lowest pits of Hell. James looks at her for a moment, before returning to his place back at his and Annie's side of the group. He still glares at the asian girl and asks her a question of his own with a snarl.

"Tell me Ackerman, when was the first time _you killed something?_ You were what, _9_ when you first killed a human, and like me, in self defense? I know you and the rest of the 104 got your first Titan kills in Trost when the invasion began, but I...I made my first titan _when I was_ _5 years old."_

The widening of eyes and gasps of shock came from _everyone,_ and even Mikasa's eyes widened a bit at the answer. He continues, wanting to get it over with, not wanting to relive the memory though he fails and still does. "It was before I could even shift, I was 5 years old travelling outside of Wall Maria atop my father's titans back. Though he couldn't fly he still managed to climb his way over a isolated portion of the wall. He was larger than even I am now, a whopping 19 meters, armored from head to toe like I am. And maybe 20 meters from it I got my first look at one of them.

It was a tall 15 meter, with a grin stretching it's mouth way past what a smile should look like. My father suddenly grabbed me and lowered me to the ground, much to my horror, before backing away from the two of us. The Titan noticed me and began to lumber it's way over to grab me. I _screamed,_ and tried running to the safety of my father but he took large steps back with his massive form. I screamed at him for why he wasn't killing it, and you want to know his words to me?

" _You wanna live? Kill it! This is the first step to using your Titan! You won't know what to do when the time comes if you let yourself become lost in your fear, in your emotions! Fight! Kill it!"_ He barked at me in his Titan form, I didn't know about thought speech then. All I could hear was his cold voice urging me to fight back, kill the beast when _I didn't even know how to shift yet."_

Everyone listening began to show expression of sympathy to outright horror at his tale, as the fought off the bile rising in their throats. Hange herself was disgusted, and she was someone who cut open Titan stomachs just to see what they _look like_ up close on the inside. _'How could a parent do this to a child?!? How could he have expected him to react to that?!_ ' She thought, shocked and repulsed by the inhumane act of cruelty the boy was put through.

He continues on, his anger rising as he starts to edge towards Mikasa's face, and this time she doesn't step back or forward. She just looks him in the eyes with something like what Annie saw her have when she'd been told Eren was dead in Trost. _"I ran for my life,_ but the Titan nearly caught me. I fell and scrambled back all while my father watched me with sick anticipation. I don't know what it was, but something in the back of my head, some small voice struggling to be heard over the screams in my mind told me to _bite my hand._

 _I obeyed._

I shifted for the first time that day, but I wasn't in control one damn bit. Yet _Something_ guided my body to kill the Titan I now towered over with a bite to the face, and told me to claw it like some animal. Once it was dead at my feet, I collapsed to the ground. I awoke an hour later in my room, my father sitting in a chair beside my bed. The only words he said to me were " _You took too long,_ but you finally did it. But _next time_ , act faster."

I was still in shock, _I'd actually transformed_ and didn't remember doing it. Then I took in my father's words as he left my room: _Next time?_. I was going to be out through that experience again. I stayed that night in my room, staring at the window, waiting for a hungry face to peer in and reach for me just like it did out there. And that night I swore to myself that I would be put through that again, I wouldn't hesitate. _I_ _swore I would kill anything that got in my way,_ and I repeated that oath till I fell asleep.

I took that _test again_ about a week later, this time my father took me to a pair of Titans, and did the same thing again. But this time, I didn't have as much of a struggle. My mind was ready, even if I was still scared by them, I still transformed. I killed them even more brutally, but I had a sense of control this time. As I stood over their steaming bodies, my body acted on its own again and my arms opened wide. I almost didn't believe what I saw, and my father stood shocked in place.

I'd revealed my glorious wings, and without a second thought, tried flying with them. I took to it like a fish thrown in water, finally I was good at something without even trying. My training continued for years, me becoming a efficent killer on both ground and air, until I ran away. In my wandering throught the interior of Wall Rose, I came to a small red-headed girl who was out hunting when she was attacked by a wolf in a forest close to here..."


	62. 62 Clash-Meeting and Leaving

**Hope you guys enjoyed and weren't too shocked at one such example of James training. The idea was hard enough to write down because I kept picturing it through his eyes. ThatAddictToFiction Guy, no since there are many more shifters in this story, the power doesnt need to be transferred like that. Forget Marley, the power of 9 and how it's transferred, plus his sister was buried with his parents in chapter 3. As for the AT and CT, he's _aware_ that Annie knows about them, but accepts that she can't tell him for _obvious reasons_. That was covered in the first chapter of the adteath Arc called Flight. _This_ arc involving James life story will go into another 2 or 3 chapters after this one before we move onto the events of Episode 6: Warrior. On a side note there's a moment here that may make you pause, _but_ I wanted to write it down _very_ early in my original draft for a moment in one of the survival missions. But I felt it would seem out of place without you the reader seeing proper character growth and understanding _what kind of a person_ James is, just fyi. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Meeting_ _and Leaving_

No one spoke as James now began to tell them all how he had met the last true piece of family in his life. Granted his love for Annie was equal to Sasha's in how important they were to him, but in different ways. But both were people he would stop at _nothing to protect, no matter how many or who he had to slaughter,_ they were worth _every_ drop of blood. Granted Reiner and the rest of the 104th all had a place in his heart, Annie and Sasha were the two who surpassed everyone else.

"I was wandering through the interior when I came upon a small redheaded girl hunting in a forest, getting attacked by a lone wolf. I did the first thing that came to mind, I tried saving her. I yelled at the thing, challenging it to fight, getting it's attention off her. It worked and we faced off with each other, ready to kill without a second thought.

After years of the brutal training my parents put me through, I'd become a _very_ proficient killer when it came to survival. My parents took me both outside and inside the other Walls in order to condition myself to the elements, to the wild. Sometimes they'd stay and accompany me, and train me the entire time. Others they would give me a set of instructions and leave me alone out there for a week or two."

Again the silent gasps and opening of mouths were seen on the shocked faces of the meeting. Hange's assistant, Moblit who was writing the entire thing down messed up with his sentences a few times, his hand shaking after hearing the pure _abuse and downright neglect the kid faced._ Though he knew like every other scout just how deadly he was as a Titan shofter and what he's done, he still found himself sympathizing and wanting to comfort the boy no, _the_ _Warrior_ before him. However he swallowed the feeling of naseua that tried rising in his throat and steadied himself for more untold horrors.

Annie was in pure horror at hearing more about what James went through as a mere _child_. She felt her and her fellow shifters intense training to be dare she say, _child's play_ compared to what she was hearing the person she loved tell them he went through. Even Mikasa was shocked at the things being described to her while Reiner, Connie, Eren, Marco and Bert all stared wide eyed, unable to say a word.

But the most _interesting_ expression James noticed was the one on _Historia's_ face, holding something like _understanding_ on it that only he picked up on. Sure she had tears coming down her face, but he could see some sort of emotion or _personal_ _experience_ swirling in her eyes. It almost made him stop before he decided against asking about it, and went on. After all, they were there to hear _Him_.

"I took to the rain and storms no problem, I _loved_ the stuff because it relaxed me even if I was stressed out." Annie felt a moment of nostalgia at the first time they spent the day together outside in a storm that came to the training camp. She listened as he continued.

"I learned to hunt animals of all sorts, from rabbits to Deer, and even to _Wolves_. So when I faced the one attacking this girl, I had no fear of it, after all _it was practice._ I waited for it to strike first, and strike it did. I got under it's leap and strangled it till I felt it's neck break, and felt it drop dead at my feet.

My attention turned to the girl bleeding bad from her shoulder, and I had to try and calm her down. I needed to gain her trust in order for me to get her the help she needed. I knew what it was like to be attacked myself with no one to help, and I took it upon myself to help her, even if she were scared. She was still in shock, probably afraid of _Me_ at that point until I used a softer voice to sooth her. It worked.

She told me where her village was and I began to carry her in my arms when I heard a man calling out for her, who I assumed was her father. I transferred her to his waiting arms and she began telling him what happened, and he looked at me with gratefulness and confusion. He must've noticed I didn't look like I belonged there, but he still was kind and insistent enough to offer me a home. I was catious, reluctant to try fitting in with strangers but I didn't have anywhere to go or do.

I accepted, and for two good tears I lived with Sasha and her Pa, but I made sure not to ask about her mother. It seemed that she had died long ago and I'd rather not make them regret taking me in by being nosy or insensitive. But my time there was the happiest I ever had at that point in my life. I was with hunters of all people, something I was _great at_ and put to good use by putting dinner in the table while I hunted with her and him occasionally. Things were great, the rest of Dauper seemed to like me, liked that I had a lifestyle that could imitate theirs without offending them. I finally fit in."

As James told the tale he started to smile without being aware of doing so, looking off in the direction of the village miles from where they stood now. They all seemed to have a lighter mood as his change in demeanor, though Historia and Connie knew better. After all it things were _so great there, why did he ever leave to go back to his family like he told them?_

But before they could ask the question themselves James stomach rumbled a bit in hunger, and they could all hear it. A light chuckle escaped from Reiners otherwise intense and serious face as he told James "All that reminiscing of hunting and food getting to ya or what?"

They all looked at him in shock, his statement quite contrasting the mood everyone else had been going through in the time of this meeting, but they all found themselves to be hungry as well, even Mikasa grudgingly knew it. James replied with the same way he would back in their cadet days and addressed the Section leader.

"That I am, after all it's been about two days since my last meal. Section leader, do you mind giving us a break to ah, settle our bellies?* She looked at him tilting her head in a thoughtful expression, and turned to Moblit. He stopped writing and readies himself for her orders "Moblit if you would be so kind, please ask Nifa to bring over enough provisions for us all? Thank you." In less than 5 minutes later they were all given a cracker bread loaf that was the standard soldiers field ration, but as everyone began chowing down, some slowly or with pleasure like Eren, James didn't seem to be satisfied with the ration. None of them actually liked it, but it was all they had on them.

Times were tough all over, except for those in the Mps or Wall Sina. James surprised them all by asking Historia politely for her knife she'd been given, though she didn't need. It was actually odd, but no one had questioned why she'd been given one out of them. But that was nothing compared to the eye widening act that was about to take place in front of them.

Using the edge of the blade, James shocked them all by _slicing off a thick layer of his right arm_. Their reactions were immediate, Connie's and Eren's were the loudest as they shouted in unison " _Whoa_ _What the fuck?!"_ But James ignored them and seemingly ignored the fact that he just _cut off a piece of himself._ He held the slice of flesh with his other hand and waited for his self inflicted wound to heal, steaming and growing back in less than a minute. Once the process was done he clenched his arm to rest it out, and satisfied, moved to _eat a piece of himself._

He took the first bite when he noticed all of their reactions, including those not in on the meeting about 10 meters away. All of them looked horrified or queasy looks on their faces, even Annie who had _never_ seen him do such a thing. Sure she'd seen him cut wolves apart for the both of them, but _to cannibalize one's self?!_ That seemed _quite_ extreme. He spoke after the first bite went down, being mindful to wipe his face on the napkin like clothes they all had been given and in a conversational tone, told them all.

"Sorry if it..makes ya sick, but it's something I've had to do before. When there's nothing to eat and you have amazing regenerative abilities, you do some things you'd never _dream_ of considering. Body's got to eat, even if it's yourself it don't know or care. It's not a habit but I can stand the loaf rations, but they make my throat itch, no offense." Addressing Moblit who fought the urge to vomit as he shakily replied "N-n-none t-taken". Looking to them he suggested something "If it spoiled your meal, I'm sorry for that. Might wanna look away for the rest, but this'll hold me over till I find something on the way out of here."

He continues with his grisly portion of meat, but at the last words of his talk regarding _leaving_ , Eren and Mikasa exchange looks of astonishment and defiance. _'Hange wouldn't just **let him go,** right?'_ What _mostly_ no one's notices, is Reiner, Annie and Bertoldt all exchange a look at their own to _stay quiet_ about _IT_ as well. _'Just endure it, we'll try to make up for what we've done once we get him back home. Don't crack, stay frosty'_ They think silently with overanxious minds.

What they don't know is it was barely glanced by Armin, who gives a slightly confused look to himself as he blows it off, going back to his food. _'Must just be my mind playing tricks'_ as no one else seems to react or see it. Their thought do have a single unified thing that they _all_ add to their heads with a shudder.

 _'Don't make him angry, or **Hungry** '_


	63. 63 Clash-Leaving And Going Home

**Alright hope that last bit of the previous chapter wasn't _too_ gross, but something that I'd always thought of since they had such abilities to regrow themselves. Sorry if it weirded some of ya out, but I'll make up for it in this chapter. As the title suggests, this chapter is gonna be just _why_ James left Dauper, and went home the day of the Fall. Some feels and graphic stiff but hey, it's AoT, or SnK for most of you. EverydayWeaboo I've been asked about it before, but I can only say it'll be shown which or how a little later on. And don't worry it'll get real actiony in a few chapters, I _promise_ it. Also I'm happy to announce that my first Daily lives with Monster Girls fic " _Web of Hearts_ " has been published! I know it's alot to be writing for _three_ stories, especially with how much I do write for the two I have already, this one being the most written for, but I know an author or two who manage 3 or more at a time. You'll find them on my stories I've favorited, or whoever wants to know just ask and I'll tell you their names. Well, as _usual_ drop a review, tell me your thoughts. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Leaving And Going Home_

Once everyone was finished with their meals, including James with his more... _unusual_ taste in dining, they all prepared to hear more of his story. Annie, Bert and Reiner all readied themselves for the eventual coming of the events _after_ leaving Dauper. They didn't steel themselves just yet, but they still knew it would come soon, no matter how much they _didn't want to hear it._ James spoke with a more hateful tone as he started to go into detail _why_ he left.

"Now while things were great in Dauper for me, fate seems to hit me hardest once I start enjoying myself. About two years after I came to live with Sasha, one of the members of the village, a baker who we met with regularly for bread visited the two of us while her father was out on a business matter. His name was Mr Yagoi, but he always insisted we call him by his first name, Jaison. It wasn't too big of a deal that her father was taking part in, but it was long enough to take up most of the day. And since her Pa told us to stay inside, we really had nothing to do. So naturally we invited him in, we wanted the company.

Now things were going like they would any other time we met, he asked us how we were doing, our latest hunts, where her father was, the like. Now Sasha's cabin had an odd layout to it, but I never questioned it before, I just learned it. Having 5 rooms and _many_ doors throughout it, it took some time for me to get used to when I first moved in. Now Sasha at one point went to her room to retrieve something she'd been telling him about, I don't remember what really. I was busy trying to carve a small totem of Eve out of wood when I heard a small banging noise. That's when I realized that Mr. Yagoi _wasn't in the room_ _anymore_ either, and the door was closed that led to the main hallway, to the rest of the rooms."

He stops as he seems to remember something sickening, and they all wait with anticipation for him to go on. Mikasa and Eren had a _disturbing thought_ cross their minds before he turned away while still addressing them, _directly_ this time. "I shouldn't be telling _any_ _of you_ this story, it's too personal between me and Sasha. I would've preferred to have her permission, and even then I'm not sure I would be any more comfortable than I am now. Since she isn't here, I want this part to _stay here._ _Please don't talk to her about it._ I don't want it to be told to anyone like some gossip, _Do I make myself clear?"_ His voice growing dark and hard at the end of his question, or more of a _declaration_.

Everyone in the group looked to themselves, a feeling of even more discomfort then they thought possible. It began sending off warning bells in their heads, but they all nodded tentatively, although Mikasa narrowed her eyes slightly at the threat. Before anything could be said that might escalate the situation, Hange tried to ease the tension by telling James what she thought would be best. "I'll make sure to have Moblit omit this part of the story if you wish, and have Moblit put it down as you merely wanting being homesick. Would that be fine?" She asked, wanting to keep the meeting on the positive side.

Since the brash question asked by Ackerman regarding his first Titan killing experience to his own determination and _choice to eat his in flesh_ , the _last thing she wanted_ was for this to all go south over a personal issue being talked about. James looked at her for a moment, his hardened eyes softening slightly in his gratefullness of the offer. Nodding a little to both her and her scribe Moblit, he went to continue on.

" _Thank you_ section leader, it would be _very much appreciated._ Now then, when I heard the noise I got up to investigate, not quite understanding what could've caused it and now wondering where Jaison was. I began opening doors quickly but quietly as to not startle anyone, since Sasha always said I was scary as much as I was silent. I usually could enter a room without a peep being made an dscaring someone which got me some complaints, but right them something in my head told me I _needed_ to be that way."

Everyone was listening without a sound being made, and all had a sense of unease regarding what they might be hearing about the happy, for crazy girl they all knew and loved in their own way. Connie seemed to be the most apt with attention, but Historia, Annie, Eren and Mikasa all has the same possibility pass through their heads as James went on.

"As I started searching the rooms, I noticed Sasha wasn't in hers where I thought she would be, searching for what she wanted to show Yagori. As I finally began to check the last two rooms which were Her father's and a storage room for the extra hunting equipment, I again heard the banging noise, but... I also heard a small sqeak of _pain._ And it led me to the storage room, but before I opened the door I listened for a few seconds to see if I heard it again. And in those 15 or so seconds I heard words that _to this day_ send anger to my head.

" _You make this any harder than it has to be, I'll cut your fucking tongue and feed it to you ya food freak. I'm not going on the streets cause you don't wanna take a little trip with me to the underground for a nice **business** meeting between some very rich people who would pay a pretty price for a red head. So make another noise and I'll cut your freak stepbrother too and make you watch as he bleeds. Got that?"_

Everyone's eyes widened, and Those who had the possibility already in their head dropped their jaws at the words. Connie's skin went from the little color he barely held onto to a fresh bone white as his heart stopped. _'She never told me something like **this** happened to her, my god'_ He thought to himself, remembering to give her a stronger hug the next time he saw her happy face.

But he remembers James words of warning if they would confront her about it, and is gonna have to talk to him in private about asking her about it. James knew how they were together, he would understand...right? After all this was something _huge_ to hide from anyone, especially him. Connie's been with Sasha since their first few months at camp, hell James gave him _his_ _permission_ to try and ask her out because if how protective he was of her. He swallowed and shook his head to listen on, no matter how much it would hurt for him to hear about _this_.

"When I heard that all I could feel was pure uncontrolled anger, _how dare he threaten and treat her like some livestock to be sold to some fucking pervert?_ I rushed in and still having the carving knife on me, I tried attacking the bastard. What I didn't know was that Jaison had the knife he threatened her with at her shoulder, just near her nape. Right about here" As he pointed to a spot above his collarbone, before he continued with venom in his voice. "When I ran into the room I startled the son of a bitch, and he gave her a small but deep cut in reaction. He tried to bring the knife up to me but I tackled him out the window.

I brought the wood knife down over and _over and over_ into his chest and throat till I was satisfied he was dead. He bled out about 40 seconds in but I didn't stop stabbing until _about 2 minutes later._ Then I got up and gave him a good stomp to the face, knocking lose a few teeth, and breaking his nose. And that's when I realized I had made my first big mistake"

They all had confused looks on their faces until James butterly told them all. "What I failed to remember was there were a few neighbors that Sasha's father dealt business with about 2 minutes walk from where I lived with them. And standing there was her father, a livestock dealer and his wife, the local butcher, and a few others I didn't know all watching in horror as I stood there, a knife in hand and covered in the blood of a friend to all of them.

I was in too much shock at seeing them, and still angered at what I had stopped, that I couldn't even speak. Sasha was still inside, probably treating her cut, tramatized, that she didn't know that my lifestyle would change at that point in time. They began to chase after me with hate in their eyes, after all I'd just killed a friend to all of them and everyone else in Dauper. They never caught me, and wouldn't know the truth behind my actions till after they found Sasha, but by then I'd already fled in my Titan once I was far enough away."

They all begin to understand even more why he treated "ignorant people" with such hatred, maybe why he let Hange live because she didn't threaten him. He knew even then what it was like to be hated, when he'd done nothing wrong. James swallows as he prepares to tell them all in detail the next part of his tragic past.

"So once again I was homeless, after two years of bliss and happiness I was driven out by hatred openly for the first time. I'd been thinking of my sister a little, like I told you about the totem. And then I knew what I could do even if it might hurt, but I hoped for the best. I still prepared myself for the worst, even if it meant I would still be homeless.

I travelled by wing to my birth place, arriving at the top of Wall Maria on what I hoped would be a good day, one of being reunited with my family." They _all knew_ what he was now going to tell them about _It_ , _but not like this. Not the full story._ The Titan trio all flinched as James spoke hollowly to them all.

"I arrived home the morning of The Fall."


	64. 64 Clash-Perspective

**Here. We. Go.** **It's here, the biggest pain James ever felt is going to be told in _full_ detail, all truth to _everyone_ including those who _caused it._ Might be a different than I thought with this whole memories and reason for fighting part, but rest assured the Clash Arc will have it's name being incarnated _soon_. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Perspective_

"I landed in an isolated, less populated portion of Shinganshina in the early hours of the morning. The sun was barely rising so I had plenty of cover, but I kept myself hidden from any Garrison or people living close by just to be safe. I exited my Titan and began walking towards my home, trying to remember where it was. I had on a cloak I found before I transformed to head home, and pulled up the hood to stay unoticed. After a while I finally found it, the small training trees I used to practice on still standing in front of a beat down home. _My house_." Before James could continue Eren interrupted him, with Armin and Mikasa all staring at him with a new sense of comprehension.

"Hold on, _that was your house_ with the trees like that in front? All of then snapped in half just laying there?!" James raised an eyebrow and nodded, while the others looked confused. Mikasa went to explain to them "We always heard about a family that lived there who were people you didn't mess with. Rumor always said that they were criminals who came from the underground. Since everyone was intimidated from the way the place looked no one really knew except.."

She paused and looks to the ground, as Eren also looks downcast. James tilts his head in confusion, asking for one them to continue, but it was Armin who spoke. "Dr Jaeger was the only one who knew about them." More eyes raised in interest, including Hange's and James. They both suspected that it was because of the doctor that Eren gained his powers, along with a way to possibly defeating the Titans supposedly being hidden in his basement. The whole reason behind the 57th expedition was to not only to seal the gates of Shinganshina, but to reach and discover what secrets were held below Eren's home. Eren spoke up after swallowing to shake off his memories regarding his missing father.

"It was because they were some of his patients, but he never brought me along like he usually did. I was used to being taken with to help him if he needed something, but whenever he told me to stay I knew he would be visiting them. He never even told me there last names but did mention a John and Selene once or twice when I overheard him talking to Mom. But whenever I asked about them myself he would change the subject, and merely say he wanted to give them their privacy."

James nodded in understanding though he was internally analyzing everything Eren just said with a close eye. Something wasn't adding up here, whether Eren knew or not, so James voiced one of the things he found odd. "Those were My parents names...your father was quite respectful, though I never saw him when I lived there. I know my sister and I never saw any doctor, after all with our healing abilities we didn't need one. But if you say you saw him go to that house, maybe it was long after I was gone. But...I don't know _why_ he would go there, he would find nothing but healthy people. Ah well, I guess we should move along now."

He watched for Eren's reaction to see if he was caught in a lie, but from the unchanging expression of confusion on his face from telling James what he remembered, it seemed like the boy was telling the truth. Inwardly James was frustrated, and presented with more questions to add to his already large enough pile. There was still _one_ _question_ he wanted but would despise the answer to, _'Who is the Armored, and the Colassal?'_ James concluded that they were people _he knew_ from how Annie described their reactions to his story back in their training days. Which meant they could've been anyone in the 104, including those who didn't join the Scouts like his close friends did. They might've been far away from ever meeting him, safe from his desire for revenge.

' _Or_.. _they_ _might be right here, even now. But who?'_. Shaking away the dark thought James went on. "I went to the door and gave a few knocks, it was still early so I tried being a little curteous of the time. But soon the door opened and there stood my father, still in his prime but looking a bit weary in the eyes and face. He didn't recognize me at first because I still had my hood up, but once I took it down he hugged me. It wasn't even 10 seconds later when I heard my mother's voice and saw her too come to embrace me, then... I heard my sister call my name. It was the sweetest sound I ever heard, not an ounce of anything but happiness and affection in it.." His voice began to grow a bit thick, tears threatening to free themselves from his eyes.

He swallowed as Annie put a hand on his shoulder, which he took hold of and squeezed lightly before letting go. Right now he didn't trust himself not to hurt anyone by accident, least of all her. He turned away once more and took a deep breath to steady himself. He went on. "We talked for hours in the kitchen, all sitting at our table, just like we had all once sat as a family then. Eve told me howuch better she'd become as a warrior in training, which I feared would've put her on a harder path since I left. I was scared she would've been put through the things _I was_ , but she didn't say if it had been like mine.

She was proud when she told me about how she was just like I was when I left, very deadly, well experienced though I wasn't sure I wanted to know exactly what that implied. She wanted to _be like me_ , and once she was a full Warrior, find and bring me home. Our parents looked at her in order, but I wasn't jealous one bit. They too were looking at me in pride as Eve described what she saw as inspiring that I gave off. Of course I didn't agree, just like I told you guys I wasn't a leader back in training.

I can do it fine if need be, but there's always the possibility of there being better people for it if you ask me. But still I wanted to apologize for anything I might have caused her but she wouldn't accept it, it's just who she was. It felt _so nice_ that they didn't resent me, not my parents who gave me alot of what I am today, and my sister who I thought might suffer once I realized the severity of what I'd done two years ago."

Hearing this they felt as if they had stumbled upon something private, which they had and although told by choice, something never meant for them to hear. Reiner, Annie and Historia all thought about the girl being told to them in what they knew of her, no matter how little. They all knew of her fate which would be told soon, and found themselves growing sicker than the rest at what was to come. Historia remembered James words of describing Herself no, _Krista Lenz_ that night in the woods, when she was nearly raped. She remembered the way he held her like he was crumbling in pain after he just massacared all 4 of the human traffickers with nothing but absolute hatred.

 _'I reminded him of her, that's why he cried after protecting me. He said he saw me as someone like her, Pure and always the first to suffer. He remembered that he didn't save **Her**_. _That's why he cried, why he broke down. But he_ _got through it, because he did save me.'_

Annie knows of how much the loss of his sister had hurt him, and moulded him into what he was now that was so different from even then. Sure he was a lovable and good person to those he cares about, but he lost a piece of himself, probably his one big piece of humanity he had left from such a hard life, till he met Sasha. She became a _temporary bliss_ for him, and when they met again in training, became a piece to cling to. _'Like I knew years ago, he fights to save those who matter to him. He doesn't want to feel **that** pain again.'_

Reiner is in another world of thinking, he's damn near drowning in the same sea of guilt that Bertoldt tried to stay afloat in. But Bertoldt had more blood on his hands, hence why it hurts him most. But the reason Reiner felt such pain and shame now was because he knew who James was even more than he thought when he told the story to him, Bert, Marco and Annie in Trost. And he knows he's the only one directly responsible for what happens to James sister next.

 _'Im the one he hates more than anything. I killed her, I'm the one who took that happiness as I threw her body back with the rubble after I charged. I'm the one who caused those wails that lasted for a week, which made him nearly infuse with his titan. I was the one too damn scared to face what I'd done, as much as I deserved it._

 _All in the name of saving my home, a home I'm not even sure is still around. It has to, it all had to be worth something, because if we go back and there's no one left...then we are nothing but Monsters. And I'll have to face my death, no matter how slow or how painful. I just..hope I can manage to listen to this again, otherwise I'll start sweating more than Bert is.'_

"And then as all good things must come to horrible, horrible end, we felt the ground shake..."

 _'Because of me, because I shifted.'_ Bertoldt thinks, his eyes widening as his face pales like ice, but it goes unnoticed among the wincing faces everyone else had.

"We all went outside and saw the hand ontop the wall, blood red, skinless like the face peering down at us..."

 _'I stared down at them like ants because of how tall I was, but I knew each of them had lives, names, families.'_

"The way it drew back it's leg, and blew apart the outer gate.."

 _'I began the first attack, just like I would in Trost 5 years later.'_

"The rubble went everywhere, and I saw a chunk come at our house. _But..I didn't shift._ All I did was grab my sister and dodge...and when the smoke cleared, I could see _them,_ lying under it."

 _'I did it, my foot kicked it_ _in_ '

My mother and father, buried under rock. But they made sure to tell me their last words, my father to get my sister to safety. And my final warning and apology from my mother about the path I was told to take, no matter how hard. And there was nothing I could do, all because I let my fear stop me from doing what I knew I could to protect them."

 _'You were just a child, what did you really expect yourself to do?'_ Hange thought sadly to herself.

"I watched as they left us, because of Me."

" _No_ _, because of **Me**_ " Bert cried to himself, _aloud._

"What _did you say?"_


	65. 65 Clash-Revelations(Sorta)

**Fro** **m Bert's last line, I think you all know where this is going to be heading. I actually had an entirely different way the reveal would go but it would've been too long. I felt the Truth portion was dragging a bit, but there is still a way for it to be told to those who aren't aware of what happened to James. All residing in the mind of a hungry girl currently running news out there to command. Sorry for the delay, next one will be soon. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Revelations?_

' _No_ _, I didn't say it aloud did I?!'_ Bertoldt thinks in growing horror as he looked to those around him.

Everyone is staring at him, Armin with something like intense problem-solving, Connie, Marco and Historia with uptmost confusion, Eren in disbelief, not quite understanding. But the only faces he looks at are Annie, Reiner and James. They don't tell him otherwise as Annie stares at him wide eyed, Reiner's eye twitches a little as he starts staring at the ground. ' _He's_ _probably deciding whether or not he should come clean right now..Reiner I'm sorry, but I can't, I COULDNT TAKE IT ANYMORE!!'_

But the face he's most scared of was James, because he isn't staring at Bertoldt with hate or revenge but...it just looks like he's confused. Which gave Bertoldt a hair strand's sliver of Hope that he could try and play his outburst off as something else. And from James confused tone it's clear he doesn't suspect the true meaning behind Bertoldt's words.

"What did you say?"James asked again, in confusion. Bert does some of the quickest thinking he's ever done in his life, which was quite a feat considering he did it _plenty_ enough travelling through Titan territory on the way to the walls. _'Lie! Or... or tell him some sort of truth, even if it's not The One I was talking about.'_ Bertoldt swallows as he appears to be composing himself to reveal some terrible truth to those around him. Reiner starts getting ready to edge his sling off and heal quickly but Bert says something that makes him pause in surprise.

"I meant..I keep thinking that it's my fault, about... _Ymir_. I know what she did at the tower was her choice but I can't help but think if I would've tried to talk her down sooner that she wouldn't be in the shape she is now." He tells James, trying not to break eye contact as a few of them look to the heavily injured girl who was still asleep.

True she was in quite bad shape, only having part of an arm and leg left from her near consumption by Titans who survived the tower fall. But the mention of the girl again made James pause as he looked to the squad leader for a moment to signal a break. She nodded and James beckoned Bertoldt over, and the others averted their eyes, thought a certain few were trying to listen in. James asked the tall sweaty guy about the who thing "So what's going on between you and _Her?"_

Bert looked at him with wide eyes _'He really fell for it? That **that** was the reason I said that out loud and not the truth about who I am?' _ And Bert looks at him again with wide but observing eyes, and sees that the possibility of his friends being traitors isn't on James mind. Bert's relieved but realizes what he told James instead about _Her, or a part of it._ _'Crap, and I don't want to tell that either. It's either her or Me that I have explain now..'_

"What _d-do you mean? It's not, it's not what it looks like! We're just good friends!"_ Bertoldt insisted, barely holds back from shouting.

James gives him one of those shit eating grins like he would in hand to hand when he knew his opponent was pinned. He put a hand on the tall guys shoulder to reassure and mellow him out, ' _Poor guy always looks so stressed, plus if he **does** like her, then all that from back then to what happened at Utgard must've done a number on him.' _ James thought to himself.

The change actually made Bertoldt gasp before James went on in a more calm, reasoning tone. "Hey c'mon now, we're both friends. You can deny all you want but I got a good pair of eyes on me, I know what I saw. I saw how you were when I needed help carrying her, and how you kept defending her from accusations. It's fine man, just be honest with me. You _care about her, more than just a friend..don't you?"_

"I...I, yes James. I care about her, even if she wants Historia. I wanted to say something way back when but you know how she was, especially towards her." Bertoldt began to look crestfallen at the view, and James felt a sense of pity for him.

It was like what Ackerman felt about Jaeger, but she had every chance to show or tell him herself. Bertoldt probably didn't have a chance in hell of those feelings being returned, after all they all knew how Historia was viewed by both Ymir and Reiner. James offered the boy some comfort, it was the least he could do for a friend. "Hey it'll get better for you. Who knows, maybe she'll switch her choice when she finds out you spoke for her well being too. What do you say we get back to the meeting? After all it's gonna be alot quicker once I finish _the_ _next part_."

Bert notices how he started off as comforting but still grew hollow as he knew what James would be talking about next. As they rejoined the group he took a look at Reiner, who barely looked better than he was feeling at all this. _'Hold it together Reiner, please. I know I messed up but don't think you can try and play it off.'_ Reiner had a hardening of the eyes, and Bertoldt knew he would do his best. They just had to last till after James and Annie left, then they could sneak back away from the scouts as they made their way to one of the districts.

"Now that we're all refocused, I'll try to stay true to the story I told you all years ago. Once I saw my parents under the rubble, I knew they were done for, even if I didn't want to believe it. My father told me to get my sister out of the city, and that my mission was second only to her. My mother though...had a different set of words for me. She told me _she was sorry."_

They all began to look confused, because surely his mother must've said that when they were reunited with him before, right? But a few already knew the meaning for it, those he already told his identity of being a Titan shifter to Annie, Marco, Reiner and Bert all during Trost. They already heard the words, but it didn't make them any harder to listen to.

"She told me that no matter i cannot tell people my secret, about who I am. She said that no matter what I did to save people, there would always be those who _don't want to understand what I am._ _They will always hate me_. She said that she was sorry for forcing that path onto me, but she and my father would always be on my side...and finally she passed." He gave a pause and they all begin to understand why he kept his secret, even after Trost. Because she was right, people fear what they don't understand, and turn only to hating it.

"Now I took those words to heart, and I've stick by most of them for a long time. Before my defection from Humanity I only told my secret to 4 people, and they're all her now. Annie who I shifted to save inside Trost when she was almost eaten. Bertoldt and Reiner were apart of my team who saw it happen before their eyes with her. And finally someone whose curiosity got the better of them, someone should never have known, _Marco_." Connie and Historia look to the 4 mentioned people with surprise, but everyone else already knew or was involved in some way. Marco tries not to meet either of their eyes as James goes on to explain _why_ he should never have known with venom in his voice.

"Marco should never have known because he gave eup my identity after the 57th expedition, though I hardly blame him for that. He said that as long as I stayed an ally he would keep quiet, but I do blame him for not waiting to hear me out. You see the reason _I_ betrayed you, was because _humanity betrayed me first._ You guys aren't aware that there were traps used on the expedition made _specifically for Me._ Isn't that right section leader?"

Connie and the rest gasped at the revelation, and for the first time since they had called their truce Hange looked bitter as she confirmed the allegation with a hard nod. Historia is the first to ask "Why!? After all he did to help in Trost why did you try and trap him?"

Hange looked to Moblit and those from the Stohess group who already knew. She explained "It was during the trial, Nile Dok made a fair point about not being able to fully trust James based solely on Eren's word, so after it ended Commander Erwin ordered for the creation of a deterrent should James go rogue. When we first began to suspect that he was among the cadets of the 104th, we also began to believe that there may have been others as well...including the Colassal and Armored Titans.

We believed that they would attack or appear at some point during the expedition, so we decided to bring the deterrent to capture and openly employ James as apart of the scouts, _but under our control._ But like I told Erwin and the others after it failed drastically, we might have made the worst possible move. We ended up severing his alliance with us, and so we paid the price with a large amount of life."

Connie tried to talk, but he hesitated because of the anger he was beginning to feel. "So.. _you guys_ are the reason so many dead..you didn't trust him even after he showed that he was trying to help us!"

Hange shook her head "No, I understood that James was a wild card to our side, but it was Commander Erwin who ordered for the traps to be used on him. We originally catch another shifter, in this case Ms Leonardt but he wanted to capture both when we had the chance. I was more catious about it all."

"And that's why your alive now Section leader."

James said, surprising them by stepping forward to address them again. "Because _You_ had rational thinking working for you, you were spared death while so many others who rushed to attack met nothing but my hands and teeth. Even when you captured us again in Stohess, you still wanted to negotiate with us, and I respected that. I decided that you were worth sparing, just like you once again went for the more diplomatic approach at Utgard. Your brain is what saved you, though the way you treat Me and Her now is also very well appreciated."

As Hange almost _blushed_ at the complement, Reiner interrupted by asking James and Annie a question that the others were also starting to piece together. "Hey what do you mean " _Captured us again?"_

"What happened in Stohess?"


	66. 66 Clash-Warrior

**I know I got ya guys with that cliffhanger and misdirection, but don't worry it's going _DOWN_ _now_ as you can tell from the title. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Warrior_

"What happened in Stohess?" Reiner asked, and the question hung in the sir heavy for those who knew, and anxiously for those who didn't.

James steps forward a bit while throwing a dirty smirk at those who knew _exactly_ what happened, since it _was_ their doing. "Well Reiner if you really want to know, I guess I'll be the one to tell you and the rest. About two days ago Eren, Armin, Mikasa, Hange and the rest of the scouts who split from your guy's group all laid a trap inside Stohess where Annie worked as an Mp. They used the fact that Eren was being escorted to the capital for his execution for what I did on the expedition as a chance to capture her." Everyone was in shock but James went on further to get out for them to all hear.

"They almost had her in human form but I intervened and offered Eren here a chance to come with, or stay out of our as we left for Annie's village. He made a bad choice to do whatever it took to stop us, and so transformed after Annie and I escaped the second capture attempt that I spoke of involving Hange. We faced off in the city center where I offered him one last chance. He blew it as he rushed to attack me and we fought right there, destroying a good chunk of the city, possibly taking a large amount of innocent lives. Needless to say Annie and I won, and though it was a hard battle, I flew us out of that city and Eren's destroyed Titan form in victory.

All because Eren didn't want to listen to reason, he wanted to fight for Humanity, and ended up killing lots of innocent people, _didn't you_?" Looking to Eren with something like malice in his eyes, and Eren shouted at him " _Fuck_ _You, you murdering Animal!_ They're deaths are all on you! Just like everyone you killed out there on the mission, your a goddamn monster! I don't care what you say, I understand your past but that's no excuse for what you've done!"

James shouts back at him "Oh really? You want me to tell them again how I gave you a _second_ chance to stay out of our way? To resolve it without fighting or any unnecassary loss of life? That _any_ and _every_ death from then on caused by our fight would be because _You_ didn't choose wisely? You wanna tell them how you went _berserk_ and crushed Annie's face in your hands before I tore you apart!?

 _I'm a monster_ for fighting back against people who attacked me first?! You think I deserve to be caged killed after all I've done, all I've had to suffer to _protect_ an _ungrateful_ people who never sided with me when I needed it most?! How about I tell everyone _exactly_ what I've done, which _helluva_ lot more than you ever have and let them decide!

I saved your mom when you couldn't 5 years ago, after I just watched my parents die in front of me! I took my sister and your family to the gate and fought every Titan including the Armored till he killed her. After that I mourned and slaughtered every Titan in that city before I left to warn the other districts of the breach! I helped take back the Armory with you, but after awhile you got chewed on and couldn't do anything else! I woke your dumbass up after you knocked yourself out cold and nearly killed your own sister!

I helped you take back Trost with the boulder, but I was ready to do it alone if you couldn't, you can ask Reiner or Bert! I woke you up to prove that you were useful to humanity! To keep you alive because not only were you like me but because you were my friend! A friend I _was willing to save by giving up my secret and escape with that day in the court!!"_ James screamed at Eren who stopped in shock before his anger already returned at everything else James was saying.

 _"I_ _know I've done horrible things,_ _I know I failed my sister and my parents, but what's done is done._ Yeah I've killed lots of people, I betrayed the humans, but _you betrayed Me!_ I only killed those who wanted my death! It's a cruel world that we live in Eren, You know that! _And only the Strong survive!_ _The only way to live is to fight!_ Isn't that what you told me when we met in training? Isn't that what you told Mikasa when you saved her that she keeps like a lifeline inside her head!?

 _Call me a monster all you want,_ but I didn't chose to be this when I was born! No one has a say in who or what they're born as, but everyone else had a choice in how they got to grow up! They got to be normal, live lives with normal families, but I didn't! I was made into what I am now the moment I faced that Titan reaching for me when I was 5. I felt the horrible truth that I'm not welcome here or anywhere inside these walls and I didn't care!

I saw I had no other option left, so I chose to embrace whatever kept me alive! And now because of that choice I have somewhere else to go outside these walls. But you, _You_ _Can_ _Go_ _To Hell And Rot Eren_! Because if _I'm a monster,_ then _your a **heartless fucking demon!**_ "

Silence lingered on as all eyes were on the two, Eren and Mikasa staring at James with open hate while Annie glared at Mikasa, daring her to make a move. No one moved as both sides itched for the other to make a bad move. Hange and the rest were backing away out of caution, trying to be ready if things escalated, which they looked like they were about to. Reiner and Bert looked at them gasping with the rest, surprised at the emotional outburst. But still in the back of their heads they were also wondering just _how_ the scouts suspected that Annie was a Titan. Maybe they could calm things down between Eren and James if they tried to change the subject instead.

Bertoldt asked it first "H-Hey...Why did you guys even _think_ Annie was a Titan in the first place? I'm just as surprised as anyone else that she emerged after helping us at the tower, but h-how did you all know?" As he lied about knowing Annie's identity and asked the trio and the section leader, before Marco once again stepped forward.

"It's because, I told them about James so they began to suspect that she was also a Titan, since she knew about him but kept his secret." Reiner gets a bit angry at the freckled boy. He asked him while taking care to word it without giving him or Bert away too.

"And what about us huh? We knew and kept it silent too, why'd you only go after her? What if she was innocent? Why weren't we brought in and interrogated?"

"But you were Mr Braun. You and Mr Hoover were separated with the rest of the southern group since we were suspicious of your actions regarding Draekon's identity. You all were under close watch by Nanaba, Miche and the others with everyone else, but they knew that you two withheld information." Hange said in a hard tone pointing at him and Bertoldt as she stepped forward, looking to Nanaba for confirmation.

"That's right, and when we saw that Titans had breached the wall, we knew that there was no way you or any of your classmates were also Titan shifters. Until Ymir...then we.." She trailed off as she took a look at the girl. The way she worded it also caught James and Eren's attention as they stopped glaring at each other to look her way. James spoke first "Then _what?"_ Nanaba looked at him in gear at his tone before going on "We began to again suspect that the Armored and Collassal titans were apart of your class."

" _Who did you suspect? Tell me!"_ James demanded but Hange stepped forward to deny him. "No, We can't tell you because we aren't sure in our accusations. But we have high enough reason to suspect them. I'm sorry James but I can't, it'll only lead to more problems."

Snarling at the refusal he looked at all his friends faces with piercing stares and started going through everyhthinh he knew about those alive from the 104th ' _Theres_ _no way it's two of them, there's no way! I know every one of them, they all told me who they were, where they're from. Connie: Ragako, I've been there, Historia: Her families farm property farther in Wall Sina, Marco's from_ _Jinae, Jeans from Trost, I met his mom there. Sasha from Dauper, I lived with her._

 _That leaves Annie who's from outside the walls, but I already know that, it's where we're going.Ymir no one seems to know, but I've seen her Titan form, so she's out. Reiner and Bert's village was in the mountains of Maria, it was destroyed after the inner gate was breached-'_

But something stops him, a memory of the first time he really spoke to Annie, just after he gave Eren help prepping for his Odm test.

" _Shinganshina, You?" He asked_

" _Same village as Reiner and Bertoldt."_ _She replied after seeing his hollow face._

Her words in the forest of giant trees resting after Stohess. " _The Armored couldn't handle the knowledge of killing your sister, and..the Colossal gained more grief at the knowledge of killing your parents."_

 _'Someone I told my story to.'_ He remembered asking Annie. His flashback during the arena test, triggered when Reiner kicked at his knee, _just like..._ _NO!_

" _You.."_

James stood tall, looking at Bertoldt and Reiner who began to grow nervous under his wide-eyed, but hollow gaze. Reiner already readied himself, but he can't stop the emotions coming out as it all came to light. _'I knew it would come someday, no matter if I wanted it to not.'_ Raising his right arm he undid the bandage Historia had given him, he spoke with a barely unwavering, but _determined_ voice, just like he did to James at the inner gate that day.

"It's too late now.. _it is what it is,_ No choice but to face what I've done... _As a Warrior, No road left but the one that leads to the End!"_ He declared as his arm finished healing, the flesh steamed over. Everyone watching him with wide eyes, not wanting to believe it. James didn't even move, his face frozen as he begins to feel a flurry of emotions all at once. _'No..'_

Eren was closest to him, but even in his anger he couldn't do anything but stare in disbelief. Bertoldt started backing up anxiously, his voice growing desperate at what he knew was going to happen, no matter how much _he didn't want it to._ "Reiner! _Right now? Here?! We're doing this?!"_

Reiner began moving forward towards Eren, because he knows what's going to happen with James. He can't change that, right now he has to save his home, no matter how much it hurts to do so. " _Yes! Right here right now, We settle this once and for all!"_

Reaching at Eren, he almost didnt see the flurry of blades from behind Eren that spun at him. His eyes widened _'Shit!'_


	67. 67 Clash-Traitors

**Cliffhanger again, and a double update within 2 hours of each other. As you can tell, everyone including myself is excited, so let's it going! Play YouSeeBIGGIRL/** **TT just like they did in the episode, it really brings out the emotions here. As usual** **drop a review. Let us begin!**

 _Clash-Traitors_

' _Shit!!'_ is all Reiner could think as he saw Mikasa spinning towards him with both of her blades fully drawn. He barely got his arm up in time to block the first blade that went though his forearm, and yelled out in pain. Mikasa had come at him full force, slicing of his wrist to hand off and nearly through his cheek. As Mikasa kept her momentum going she sliced the front of Bertoldt's throat, and they both fell clutching their wounds.

Bert fell to the ground holding his throat, choking on his own blood, hot tears of pain coming out. Mikasa went and aimed her sword downward to strike him, and yelled out " _Eren, get out of here-Ugh!!_ " before Reiner rammed her roughly off the wall. She was fine as she fired her hooks into the smooth outer side of Wall Rose. Reiner quickly got over to his friend "Bertoldt!" He tried helping him up in his injured state, but Bertoldt got up slowly by himself. And Reiner could see his dark haired friend looking past him, crying from the pain emotional _and_ physical hitting him all at once, at _someone_ else.

Reiner turned to see James still standing there, but his face was getting more under control as his anger began to show visibly. Annie was trying to tug on his arm, but he was unmoving from where he stood facing Reiner and Bert. Reiner could hear her trying to persuade James into not fighting, but he knew it was a lost cause before it even began.

" _James please, we have to go! Don't do this, let's just leave!! Please!!"_ But her pleas fell on deaf ears as he pulled his arm from her. She began to back away, knowing there was no stopping what he was going to do. _'I found **You**..' _ Is all that was going through James mind as his thoughts began to flow in one direction, for one purpose.

Reiner made one last plea, even if he knew it was a lost cause. "It doesn't have to go like this James.." But the only response he sees are the widening of his eyes, before his pupils narrow to nearly match his Titans when they looked at his prey in anger. Everyone else was fleeing, Eren was still frozen in place while everyone else was moving around him. The scouts ran at him while Connie and everyone else who didn't have their gear got as far away as possible. Annie got ready to shift if she needed to, but she still hesitated as she watched them all. It was a moment of the calm before the Storm that would be the grandest of hurricanes as the wind was already picking up from the energy charging the air. ' _There's no stopping this'_ Reiner thought as he heard James say 3 words that stung him _hard_ , and for a true, _undeniable_ reason. But he knew that he _deserved_ them.

" _You_... _Fucking...MURDERER!!!!!"_ As James raised a hand to his mouth, Reiner repeated the same 3 words he said years ago just before they first fought. " _So be it."_ Bertodlt still had tears in his eyes as he begged " _Forgive me.."_

Reiner heard Armin shout out to his frien _d "Eren, RUN AWAY!!!"_ As all three of them transformed, the light flashing over all their faces. If one looked closely just before the blast, they could see dark outlines of armored or skinless faces in the light, but it was a moment no one but Eren saw. The triple crackles of lightning struck on the spot above Wall Rose with a loud crashing sound.

 _CrrRrrRAAAAACCCCKKKKK!!!!! **BOOOOOM**!!_

Everyone who wasn't shifting was blown back by the force of the energy burst, Hange and the scouts flung farther along the wall. The supplies and rations were sent over the edge, some of them smacking into the railway tracks used to transport cannons and supplies atop the wall. Annie was almost sent flying away violently, but she was able to fire her hooks into the wall just in time. Historia clung to the wall with a yell, as she began to hear a set of snaps. Anyone able to see through the winds could see huge ribs snapping onto both sides of the wall as a massive body was already halfway formed.

Eren was barely holding into the edge when he looked up and saw 3 monsters that he knew well. He heard a monstrous bellow, louder than anything he ever heard. _"ROOOOAAAAAAARRRRR!!!"_ As Bertoldt no, The _Colassal Titan raised_ _it's head and roared,_ it's eyes flashing a bright yellow visible even in the blinding light from the transformations. Eren lost his grip with a yell and began flying away when a massive armored hand grabbed him firmly in it's palm. He looked and saw the Armored Titan, _Reiner_ crouched there, looking at him with a determined expression plain on his plated face.

Reiner suddenly looked over past Bertoldt as they both heard a high pitched screech blasting through the maelstorm going on from Bertoldt's transformation. Eren and Reiner both saw James rising from his haunches from the wall top, baring his teeth at his former friend. He roared a sound that could be heard even over the winds around them but Reiners head snapped up as he looked just past James head at something.

James heard a familiar scream and turned to see Annie's hooks falling out from their grip. His eyes widened as he lunged forward to grab her in one of his gauntlet like hands. He heard another scream from Historia as Bertoldt's gigantic hand reached out and drew back with someone in it's grasp. " _Ymir!!"_ But James didn't do anything for the knocked out girl, he was barely keeping himself from accidently squeezing Annie who was in his hands. She had known who they were, but told him that she had to keep it a secret. That he would lose control...and _she was right._

 _But he has every right to, he said he would listen. He never said a thing about not killing whoever they were when he found out. But he would not harm her, he made that oath and promise long ago. He told Annie that he forgave Her, and Her alone. The other two will face their fate, like James swore to Eve after he buried her._

He looked at Annie straight in the eyes for a moment, and her face kept telling him that she was sorry. He put her down into the wall near where the others were trying to hold on, and after making sure she would be ok, turned to face Reiner. He could see him going over the side with Eren still in his hand, his other grabbing the wall to slow his fall to the inner breached territory of Wall Maria. His eyes narrowed in rage as he sprang into action. Without a second thought James began to move with the intention to _kill._

" _OH_ _NO YOU DON'T YOU SON OF A BITCH! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR 5 LONG YEARS! YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY THIS TIME! YOUR ASS IS **MINE**!!!_ " James roared as he ran past Bertoldt's half formed body and leapt over the edge as well, arms and claws reaching for Reiner's head. He could see his prey below him, with his target still held in his left hand.

Eren was still in Reiner's grip, not wanting to believe that two of his best friends were the very symbols of terror throughout the walls that he fought against. He remembers the first time he met the pair, shortly after James recommended he see them about help with his Odm gear. He remembered Reiners words to him as they overlooked the great lake near the camp. It had been just him, Armin Bert and Reiner that night, but a few after they all invited James and Connie. Reiner had said that they kept him going, inspired him.

" _I'm going to return to the home that was taken from us. I will do it, no matter what" as Bertodlt nodded solemnly_ , _but with a small smile_ _from Reiners declaration._

Flashes of their faces, from joking around in training, hand to hand and playing pranks with them, James and sometimes Jean on the others...to the first time they talked all played in his head. Eren started to see it, the terrible truth before his closed eyes. "Bertoldt.. _Reiner_..." He opened his teary eyes to bite his left hand, yelling out just like James had done moments ago. "DAMN YOU, YOU _TRAITORS!!"_

Reiner was using his back to slow his and Eren's descent, and he was surprised that he was halfway down when he felt his left hand explode. He watched Eren's body began to form around him, his right first already aimed and posed to hit the face of his former friend. Reiner could hear him yelling out _"You traitors!!"_ before it was replaced by Eren's Titan roar, before he heard _another_ roar above him, one more high pitched and angered than even Eren's. He looked up to see James falling face first towards him, his mouth open to bute and tear, claws already reaching for his head, his eyes blazing bright blue with uncontrollable, primal rage. His death coming towards him with a sadistic, inhuman urge to tear his head from his body.

In that moment Reiner felt a few things inside his mind, all at once. He felt shame knowing that he's done _horrible_ things to the people aiming their hands at him now, including killing one's sister. He feels the heavy weight of being a warrior like that day in Shinganshina years ago after he finally rammed the inner gate, after he stared at the girl, _Eve_ , James sister's body. No matter what he wants, he has to save home, no matter the cost. He felt an odd sense of relief that he didn't have to hide anymore, though he felt loss as the opportunity that never was his to chose disappeared. _The option to be a soldier,_ which he enjoyed far more than being a warrior.

And finally...he felt _fear_. An unnatural chill running down his human spine, just like when he saw James mourning over that little girl's body. A fear that could not be ignored by pushing it from his mind, after all he'd tried to do so. A fear of a death so painful and malicious that it outmatched that of the Titans. But there was nothing he could do but face it, just like he said on top of the wall. _'It is what it is. No choice but to face what I've done._ ' It's what kept him from freezing in fear as he watched Eren's and James fists and claws sail towards his face. He had another thought resurface, one he wasn't so sure he would be able to carry out this time.

 _'Now or never, it's time to prove myself a Warrior.'_ It repeated itself once more in his head as the first fist connected with his face and shoved it into the wall, while the talons from above dug into his shoulder and arms. And just like that, the world exploded in a violent burst of teeth, claws, armor and flesh all colliding at one place.


	68. 68 Clash-Close Combat

**I know it was another cliffhanger, but Thisll be up to accompany it the same day in a few hours. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Close Combat Part 1_

 _Flashback_

 _"I joined the ranks hoping to become an Mp and live a better life in the interior. Not sure what I'd do otherwise. What about you? Why'd you sign up?" Bertoldt asked Eren as they were all sitting around each other's bunks._

 _Reiner sat near Armin in one corner, Eren and Bert in the other. James sat near the middle between both pairs of people_ , _observing, trying_ _to get a feel of these 4. He was trying to see if they might become friends, if he would be permitted something normal like that in his time here. James waited for Eren's answer and leaned forward a bit, to hear if he had the resolve in his voice._

 _"Why I join? I decided that I have to kill them. I won't stop until every Titan is gone. Dead, every last one." Reiner looked a little thoughtful at the declaration, as did James. Bertoldt asked Eren "You know what those monsters are capable of, and you still want to fight them?"_ _not trying to discourage him, merely trying to see his reasoning._

 _Eren nodded as he replied in a firm voice "We have to, we can't stop fighting. The only way to live is to fight, the Titans are no exception. We fight and if we win, we live free. That's the way it has to be, that it should be. We have to learn to live free, and live a life without barricades."_

 _James seemed to like his words from the hint of a smile Eren could see on his face. Only yesterday James heard Eren declare that it was his mission in life to eradicate the Titans, and he'd understood why. His mother was nearly taken, and sitting here being given a chance to stop that from ever happening again, James could see that he was ready to do whatever it took to live._ _He respected it and voiced his opinion._

 _"That's a great philosephy Eren, it's one I also live by. I respect that, your will to live. If your that dedicated to it, maybe you'll achive that dream some day." Eren gave a half smile and a grateful nod at the words as Reiner began to speak up. He sounded a bit like last night when he began giving him advice about using the Odm._

" _We're all here for a reason right? James may be right, after all you showed the spirit even with the broken gear. I know you've got what it takes, I can see it. Am I wrong here?"_

 _Flashback end._

 _Now_...

" _YOU FUCKING MURDERERS!!!!"_

"DAMN YOU, _YOU TRAITORS_!!!

"ROOOAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!"

" _RROOOAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!!!"_

Two deafening sounds blasted in Reiner's eardrums as Erens fist connected with his face, grinding it into the front of Wall Rose. Seconds later he felt a pair of talons dig into his shoulder and arms as they all fell to the ground. He turned and saw James snarling face barely a meter away, aiming a bite at his face. They all spun from the impact both their attacks had, and slammed into the ground. A massive wide crater could be seen, dirt and earth having been tossed far into the air from the impact. But those nearby could do nothing but watch as the three humanoid shapes began to rise from it.

Above the dirt cloud Mikasa still hung by her manuvering gear's hooks. _'I had the perfect chance to end them, so why didn't I slice their goddamn heads off?!_ Quick flashes of Bertoldt's scared face, holding his hand up in fear as she aimed for his throat. Reiner's surprised one as he barely began to raise his arm to block her first strike. A tragic thought wormed it's way into her head, one she didn't want to hear because not only was it true, _it_ _hurt_. _'They were our friends, I couldn't do it because they were my friends...no more. That was the last mistake, I won't make it again._ ' She watches now as James Eren and Reiner all begin to get up and face each other, their fists readying for a death match that no one would be able to stop. A true Clash of the Titans.

Even further up on top of the wall the scouts and the recruits from the 104th all try to recover from the blast caused by the triple Titan transformation. Hange was watching as the Colassal Titan reared its left hand back while the right held something in it. She could see what the massive monster was about to do, and yelled for those under her command to scatter and get further away. " _Everyone move!!"_ as Bertoldt's hand came sweeping over the wall. As they got to a safe distance, Historia who was being held by a scout on the side of the wall where everyone else fled, screamed out "It's got Ymir!"

Keiji was still retreating when he took note of someone also being held in it's left hand, a flash of blonde hair being visible for a moment. "Aw hell, She's not the only one! He's grabbed someone else as well!" Hange did a quick headcount and noticed that aside from Ackerman, Leonhardt was missing. She looked up with the rest to see the Colassal toss both shifters into his mouth before snapping his jaw shut. While it threw them all into shock, Hange knew that the blonde was most likely an ally to the people inside the Colassal and the Armored Titans. She was probably safe and conferring inside with recruit Hoover. While they had the distraction of Eren and Draekon both taking on the Armored Titan at once, she needed to rally and begin her own attack.

" _Soldiers, Prepare to attack!_ The Colassal Titan doesn't walk away from this, it's a threat to all mankind! Everyone, _Swarm and TERMINATE!!!"_ She yelled out as everyone fired off the wall to follow her orders, ready to attack. The saw Bertoldt draw back his left arm to throw what would've been a devastating blow if it ever connected with anything, but with their gear and small size they could easily out manuever it. She fired to go higher while Moblit and Jeiji fired off to the side to dodge the fist. They all fired their hooks into his flesh or the wall to dodge and get closer to one spot they all craved, the back of the neck.

' _Just like the reports say, freaks too slow! He's only got size going for him!'_ Keiji thought as he stared the Titan in the eyes.

 _'Compared to Titans were usually up against this one's a piece of cake!'_ Moblit concluded as he followed Hange around the back of his torso, and rose high and back.

Bertoldt had drawn his right fist and thrown it to scatter them, but it was a wasted move as the scouts still got out of the way faster than he could drive them back. He watched as a pair went just last his face on the right side, and took note of them all repeating the move around his purposely half-made body. He knew what they were going to do, and had it confirmed when he heard the section leader call out to her soldiers. "He's wide open! Slice the nape!!!!" But Bert still had a trick up his sleeve as he let loose a loud growl, his eyes glowing bright yellow for a moment.

His body released a massive blast of steam from his back that sent the scouts flying away, unable to get near without being burned and possibly killed if exposed to enough of it. "Shit! It's too hot!" Hange heard a scout cry out in pain as she too could feel the immense heat. She had no choice as she ordered a hasty retreat "Fall back, now! Get out of the cloud!" Her and the others began to emerge into fresh air as they all landed back in the wall, far away from the behemoth still creating heat around his form.

The steam began to cover the area as Bert forced his huge body to take a position and hold it, maintaining and making the burning air. He could feel Annie moving around in his mouth, which meant that she was alive with Ymir, hopefully. He hadn't bitten down on either of them, but placed them whole on his tongue near the back of his throat. He had put them close enough that he would be able to speak to them from inside his nape,and pulled his head loose from some of the fleshy connections holding him in place.

He tested out his voice as he called out their names with his real mouth " _Annie!! Ymir!"_ and he could hear Annie reply back to him in a hurt voice "I'm here, we're both here. I've got her." sounding dissatisfied at the end. He knew she was angry at the freckled shifter, but right now wasn't the time for that. He also didn't want the mentioned girl with whom the anger was directed towards to get hurt. He called back in relief, but still having his head focused he began to give a few orders and ask some things.

"Annie, I'm going to need you to pull her close to where I am and stay ready. When we go we need to move fast, my body will only stay and burn for so long when I exit. I'll grab Ymir while you get James. Reiner will hopefully get Eren, if he survives them."

She called back in an annoyed tone to him "Why the hell are you bringing her? After all she's done?! Why?"

In a moment of unusual anger Bert yelled out at her "Just do what I say, now is not the time to be fighting! Let's just this do we can go home, got it? I don't want to hear another thing about her, understand?!"

She didn't reply, but he knew that she heard him. Perhaps it's gecause he'd actually _yelled_ when he was always known to be such a quiet person. He felt a pang of guilt, but pushed it aside for now. Right now they both needed to focus on surviving this and getting Eren and James back to Eldia. _'Like Reiner said, no road left but the one that leads to the end."_

Outside the massive body Hange was conferring with Armin about what to do next. "He's still emitting steam, he's trying to escape!" But Armin had another opinion, and told the squad leader "I don't think so, the last time he disappeared it was more or less instantaneous. Look" as he fired a hook towards Bertoldt, but the force of the steam blew it far back, where he retracted it into his gear. "He's maintaining the heat so that we can't get close, but he can't move either. He's trying to protect himself."

Hange saw the logic behind the blondes conclusion and turned to the rest of her soldiers. "We split into two groups, first squads under command of Rashad. You will keep an eye on Hoover. The rest of you are with me, we've got a date with the Armored Titan. And one last thing, forget about taking them alive. If you get the chance to kill, take it. Draekon will be an ally, let him and Eren fight together for now. Let's use it to our advantage, understood?"

The nods of her soldiers all gave her relief that they knew what they were heading to, and began to descend towards the chaos below. As she watched the battle brewing with widening eyes, she had one thought that passed through her mind ' _Easier_ _said than done.'_


	69. 69 Clash-Idols

**Alright part two of the epic clash of the Titans battle! As you can tell from the dialogue and way events are written, it's mostly following how the anime went with my own tweaks and action with James being in the mix. Will still have some of the monologues and thought speeches, but it won't bring you out of the battle, hopefully. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Idols_

' _What_ _?! How-SHIT!!_ ' Eren thought as he watched the armored fist crash into his face and send him sprawling into the dirt quite a ways back. In his anger he had sent a punch at Reiner, who barely even acknowledged the blow and sent a quick jab to his face. Reiner began to straighten himself out of the pose when he heard a loud roar just behind him, and turned to see a gauntleted hand punch him hard in the face, though with _much_ more force than he'd used on Eren just now.

James stood tall growling, his eyes blazing with anger and a dark anticipation, just like they had in Stohess. Back then he'd been holding back immensly because he didn't want to kill Eren, merely show him that he was serious, unafraid of him. But now he held only the thought of _eradicating_ Reiner in his brain, and sent forth a loud roar to challenge his former friend, baring and snapping his teeth open and shut. He would hold _nothing back this time_ , he would taste the coppery feel of victory today when he tore Reiners head from his shoulders. _He would not fail._

Reiner staggered back from the blow, narrowing his eyes as he got into his combat pose and eyed James, waiting for him to make the first move. Though smart of a move, it did him no good, as they stood glaring at each other. The pair roared at the other, Reiner still trying for an alternate ending though he knew it was useless.

" _James, it doesn't have to go like this! Stop this now!!"_ but all he got was nothing a snarl as James narrowed his eyes in disbelief. He let loose an even higher screech then the one he gave falling down the wall as he yelled at Reiner with all his might.

" _YOU DARE SAY THE WORDS I DID YEARS AGO TO STOP THIS MADNESS BEFORE YOU KILLED HER?!?! I'LL FUCKING TEAR YOUR HEART OUT AND FEED IT TO YOU!!!"_

James and Reiner both charged each other, their stomps echoing across the ground as they collided. James threw a uppercut at Reiners stomach while Reiner used his elbow to smack James hard in the face. They both recovered and charged again, this time locking hands. Just like they had times before, once in their Titans or during combat training as cadets. They struggled to throw the other, but James agility gave him the speed to turn and tossed Reiner down with his own momentum. He lunged and snarled at the Armored behemoth as he tried to get up. James out got him in both arms and once again threw him, hitting his face as he did so.

Back in the dirt Eren was laying there on his back, half his face destroyed from the blow. Even James hadn't hit him _that hard_ in Stohess, and he knew that the angered guy had fought brutally against the Armored Titan, _Reiner_ all those years ago. ' _Reiner_. _You lying piece of shit!_ _Always going off on what it means to be a soldier always talking about honor, played us all for fools huh? Combat must've been a joke to you! How much were you holding back?_ ' He heard the hard clangs and snarls from punches being thrown, hits that he couldn't see but knew who was throwing them. The faster ones he knew were James, but the seemingly harder deeper sounding ones were Reiner. His thoughts grew angrier and more pained as pictured his former friends smirk of a face.

 _'And here I took you to be a real stand up guy, calm under pressure, intensely focused. The sort of man who puts his comrades before himself. Damn you...I'd have given anything in the world to be half as strong as you! You were my hero...'_ He thought, pained that someone, one of the people he idolized and looked up to turned out to be his enemies. First James and Annie, his teachers and close friend, had betrayed him, and now Reiner and Bertoldt. The big brother to them all who motivated and uplifted each of them, even when they all had their bad days. And Bertoldt, the tall sweaty guy who always seemed to be anxious about those around him. Always doubting himself because he wasn't sure if he could be like his comrades. And now Eren knew exactly why, _because_ _he wasn't._ He was just a wolf among sheep.

He heard a crash of metal on armor as Mikasa tried slashing at Reiner's nape when James was a safe distance form both of them, catching his breath and _allowing her_ to attempt her attack. He knew she would have no such luck, just like no one could cut his armored hide, they couldn't scratch Reiners either. But she gave a suitable distraction as he noticed Eren still laying over there, probably knocked out again.

 _'That did nothing! He barely flinched when Eren hit him, but James knocked him back like it was a normal punch. Was he holding back on Eren back in Stohess until he went berserk too? My blades don't even make a dent! He's not like Annie, his armor's head to toe as well!'_ Mikasa thought, and she yelled out as she saw her brother still unconscious. " _Eren!_ "

What she didn't know was that Eren heard it loud and clear, and his face got angrier as he realized he could hear either Reiner or James approaching him. He thought it was more likely Reiner, because he knows James wouldn't be walking so calmly. Because he was an _animal_ , _a monster,_ even if Eren knew more about him, he still is going to fight him if he gets the chance. _He deserves it_ , for the expedition and Stohess. He began to rise slowly, using his legs to rise from his back without his hands, which began to heal at a faster rate, along with his face.

 _'Hey...Reiner,_ _Asshole._ _I_ _don't know what kind of face your making right now, but I hope you miserable pieces of shit are pleased with yourselves. I bet I could scour through the history of mankind, and not find anyone a fraction as evil! You should be erased, trash like you can't be allowed to exist! What was going through your head?! You Disgust me, just thinking about your faces makes my insides churn!'_ Eren thought as he saw the pair of smiling and smirking faces before him, back in the days they all seemed to be the same. Just friends fighting together against the Titans, not monsters and traitors. It just made him angrier at what they were now.

Both of the armored combatants could see Eren starting to rise slowly, and James could see Reiner going for him. He picked up his pace as he began to stomp his way over, intent on attacking him while he was distracted. Eren was just between them, but facing James. If Reiner got to him first he would have a clear shot at ripping the novice from his nape, and Eren wouldn't be able to do a damn thing. If that happened Reiner could just turn and run off, and James wouldn't be able to get his revenge.

' _Like_ _hell I won't, I'M TAKING MY REVENGE TODAY!_ _And Whoever gets in my way will get the same!!'_ He thought as his mind began to grow less rational, the need to kill overtaking the already fragile sense of control he was exhibiting. He began moving faster as Eren began to rise, a loud roar coming from his recently healed throat as he screamed his thoughts, not in control either. The words made James narrow his eyes as he saw Eren glaring at him, his right hand already in a fistand waited for Eren to throw it, almost _daring him to._ _"You make me want to puke, your PESTS! REVOLTING OVERSIZED PESTS! AND PESTS HAVE TO BE_ _EXTERMINATED!!"_ Eren yelled out as he threw a blow at James face that did nothing except piss him off. As Eren noticed that his blow once again had no effect on the armored bodies of his enemies, he felt a faint sense of fear as James angrily brought his hand back before firing it _full strength_ at him.

 _'So he **was** holding back'_ Eren thought as he soared through the air, his face blown away from a hit even harder than the first one Reiner gave him. _'Damn it, why are you two so ridiculously strong?!?'_

So that's how it is!!' James thought as he took a blow to his face that didn't even tickle him, and retaliated in kind. Like he said before, he's not holding back this fight, for _anyone._ He drew back his right hand and sent a full strength haymaker at Eren's face to get him out of his way to Reiner. He'd hoped he would have some rational thinking, but then again _it was Eren._ ' _That anger's gonna be his downfall if he doesn't get it under control.'_ James thought as Reiner was again within striking distance. He made the first move again.

James took his traditional crouch while circling Reiner, who took a defensive stance as he turned his body. He had to keep and eye on James at all times, less he see an opportunity to take his nape. James got _even lower_ and began walking like some dog on all fours, which forced Reiner to lower his stance to keep his legs protected. And James saw his chance. He spun on his hands and brought his legs in a sweeping motion towards Reiners ankles, nearly knocking him flat before his hands stopped his fall.

Quickly putting himself on his haunches, James leapt right at Reiner's chest bringing up his elbows to shield his head and strike Reiner's chest plates. They had heavy dent marks from the blows as Reiner staggered back from the unexpected move, and James leapt to straddle his body. He raised his fists and began to rain blow after blow on his face before rising to stomp downwards. Reiner rolled in time to dodge and gave James an uppercut that made him lose focus for a moment. But it was enough to give Reiner the chance to charge and ram his body into the ground, and he too tried dealing enough hits at James head.

James dodged his head left to right over and over, easily evading Reiners hits. What held Reiner from winning was his reluctance to kill James and Eren, however they didn't share the same sentiments. They both fought to win, even if Eren was knocked out again. James decided that dodging was getting old, and waited for the next blow to come with a plan forming in his primal mind. As Reiner threw a left punch at the ground where James used to be once more, he quickly lashed out with his jaws and caught Reiners wrist in his mouth.

Reiner growled in pain as James viciously tore it off just below the hand, leaving his forearm as a half stump. James rose up and backed off, savoring the taste of the han still in his mouth. _'So that's what victory tastes like.'_ He thought, as he began wanting _more._


	70. 70 Clash-Titan Technique

**Okay next chapter of the clash. Again follows the anime with dialogue and such for those outside of James. Moment here that strengthened me as an EreAnnie shipper although for this it's obviously not to be seen that way. Lil'Manuel.G dont worry itll be good when it happens, but I am curious to how you thought the reveal as a whole was. As usual drop a review. Let us begin**

 _Clash-Titan Techniques_

As Eren flew threw the air to once again crash into the dirt, a memory surfaced of a time when he had been thrown and openly complained about it. That had been both a mistake and a blessing as he learned to properly use the move afterwards.

 _Flashback_

 _Eren crashed into the dirt once more, his rifle by his left foot_. _"Ow! Hey take it easy, that hurt! We're just sparing, your supposed to hold back a little." he winced, rubbing his back and elbows. His teacher who was also his other sparring partner, had thrown him and given him no comfort, but stated what she thought was the best advice to give_.

 _"If you want to hold back that's your business, I defend myself assuming your coming at me with everything you got. Otherwise, what's the point? Let's remember I'm the girl, I'm weaker. I have to protect my frail little body from the big bad man." Annie told a disbelieving Eren, though she had to keep a smirk off her face at Eren's expression and her own choice of words._

 _She watched Eren get up with a hint of frustration and sourness in his voice._ _"What?! Ha ha Annie very funny, your a riot. Frail little nothing, I've seen how you and James fight. If You're frail than he must be made of pure glass with how deadly he fights. Besides, I'm the one who just got shoved in the dirt you know." Annie had to stop herself from rolling her eyes at Eren's complaint, though he made a fair point._

 _Not only at her irony, but what he said about the person she loved about being pure glass. In a way it was true, he was much more durable of a material, but still breakable. Crackable if enough pressure or foce was used. But so far he's proven to be resiliant enough to be more than just glass_ _to her._

 _"Hmm good point." Tossing aside the rifle they'd been ordered to train in close quarters with she held out her arms to the side to teach something to Eren. "That last move wasn't about who's stronger okay? I was using a special defense technique. Comes in handy when your opponent has a few pounds on you. James and I grew up using it, and I can show you if you want." She told him as she demonstrated the proper pose, her arms raised in her signature combat techniques, though both her feet were at as opposed to one like it usually was. Eren backed away a foot in fear and awe as he began to quickly try and study it._

 _"Trust me, you could benefit from learning it." He heard Annie tell him, and hastily replied to ease the tension he could see building up in her arms. "Sure! Uh, what do you say we take a break for no-Ahh!!" he shouted out as Annie made to swing but got under his right arm and locked one of her own around his neck and her other underneath his armpit._

 _She locked her right hand around her left wrist and threw Eren by twisting her body to the side, taking him completely off balance._ _They both landed and slid into the dirt, Eren still trapped in Annie's grip as she held the pinning move with more force than needed._

 _"Ugh...that's **enough** Annie, you can let go!" Eren barely got out, struggling to get air flow into his lungs. But Annie had other ideas as she tightened the lock while making her point "C'mon I've barely shown you how this works and your giving up already? You need to learn how to use your strength, to fight...and the proper way to speak to women!" That alone was part of the reason he was being held tighter, because Annie didn't appreciate the tone he used when he had chosen to spar with her._

 _Nearby James was training against Ymir when she suddenly stopped her charge to watch something over his shoulder. Giving him one of those smirks she was famous for, she pointed past him and said "Looks like Annie's found a new plaything. You might have competition Draekon." James stopped and looked to where she pointed, and saw Annie holding Eren in a tight submission move. He could see Eren was already losing his breath but Annie wasn't giving in so easily._

 _Smirking James looked back at her with a roll of the eyes and said "Only an idiot would think she's even interested in him. She's with Me foxface, remember?" But Ymir's eyes widened and a grin lit up her face "Well looks like Mikasa's an idiot then!" and he once again looked to where she was watching. This time James found himself a little in awe and more annoyed as he saw Mikasa pick up Reiner like a sack of flour and throw him with no effort at the pair struggling on the ground. His temper rose as he saw Annie barely dodge out of the way, Reiner looking stunned from the painful ordeal, and heard Mikasa thowing out a subtle challenge towards Annie._

" _Hey Annie, your technique seems pretty solid. Teach me." Annie narrowed her eyes slightly and gave Mikasa that dead look she always had when she fought anyone other than James. "I'm flattered but it's a method for normal people. So, why would you ever need it? Still I'm curious to see if it works on animals. Let's find out."_

 _He_ _began making his way over as he spotted Annie getting into her signature pose, but she gave him a quick look to not intervene. He had reluctance to do so, but knew she could easily take care of herself. Soon everyone was getting closer, anticipating what they thought was going to go down. Connie and Sasha still had their rifles as they asked James "Hold up, are these actually about to fight?" Nodding James heard Sasha exclaim "This is gonna be epic_!"

 _He heard Daz ask who to bet on when Marco gave the best answer. "What do you mean? Annie." James heard Jean question him in dibelief, 'Of course he'll be thinking about Ackerman.'_

 _"Whaaat? Idiot, dinner says Mikasa wipes the floor with her!" Eren was still on his ass near both James and Reiner when the blonde guy who just got thrown asked them both. "_ _Which one of them do you thinks gonna win?" James replied without hesitation, "Annie."_

 _Eren was a little more hesitant_ _"Which one? Well I...How should I know?"_

 _Flashback end_.

 _'Wait, how did that play out? And why's it coming to me now? Is this...is this my life flashing before my eyes?'_ His face began to get angered again as he rose up faster than he did before, though he was a little less sturdy on his feet. After all his titans face was still half destroyed from James near lethal punch. He stood like a marionette being held only be it's back and leg strings, his arms hanging down his front. He began to heal his face faster than anything else. _'So what..Who gives a shit? It's not like it matters, not when I feel like THIS!'_ His voice growing more into a growl as he stared at Reiner.

He heard a desperate shout from Armin, who was watching him from the safety of the wall. " _No! Back down! You can't win in a fist fight, make a break for the wall! Eren please don't be rash!"_

James was still recovering from the limb Reiner had torn off him in Retalliation to James taking his hand. Shortly before Eren started getting up Reiner had gotten both arms on his left leg and thrown him, but he also twisted while doing it. The result was losing everything below his left thigh, and the regenerating process was slow from all the combat and stress he was going through. It was also because he only had a few hours from leaving his previous she'll at Utgard to recover, and before that he was flying for hours in his Titan form during the large portion of the night.

 _'Armin it's a lost cause, you know he can't keep himself controlled. Might as well be talking to a wall.'_ James growled out in his head before he saw Eren give a challenging roar at Reiner, who gave him his full attention. _'And I can see how this is gonna go once again.'_ Hange and Mikasa all watched with Armin as Erens face fully healed back, and he began to charge Reiner with his fists up. "Eren!" Mikasa shouted.

Hange gravelly assessed "He's blinded by rage!" as she saw Eren foolishly get closer to Reiners waiting fists. James and everyone else watching was ready to see Eren once again get launched like a rag doll, when he did something that stunned them all. James watches with wide but impressed eyes as Eren dodged _just below_ Reiners outstretched right arm, and began wrapping both of his own around his neck and underarm. Watching the hand lock around the wrist he already knew what Eren was doing, and watches as Eren threw his weight forward and to the side to knock Reiner off balance. _'Just like I showed him, and just like Annie did on him! Just like Stohess, he did learn something after all!'_

Eren got ready for the counterattack he learned from James after that day, one that he had used on him more than once as he learned the technique. _'There's no telling what you murdering hypocrites were trying to accomplish, but now that I think about it, your master plan seems to have a few holes in it.'_ Reiner tried throwing him off, _but Eren had other plans_ as he locked Reiner's arm between his hands and wrapped his legs around his shoulders and neck, locking him in a triangle chokehold. He roared out loud at Reiner and James who was listening nearby " _Wanna eradicate humanity!?! MAYBE NEXT TIME DON'T TEACH ME HOW TO KICK YOUR ASS!!"_

James waited for Reiner to try and escape, but he seemed to be struggling as he saw a portion of his armor _crack_ in a spiderweb style on the part of his face crushed into his shoulder. Below him Eren was glad the move was working, and got ready for the next part. _'It's working, I've got him locked! There's still a chance!_ ' James saw Reiner try pulling off his leg with his free hand, and Eren quickly reworked his legs to thrown him face first into the ground while sitting on his back.

 _"Eh? I DON'T THINK SO! YOUR NOT GOING ANYWHERE!"_ Eren roared as he tore and threw away Reiner's right hand with a sickening crunch of flesh and armor being removed from bone. Reiner groaned in pain as James and Mikasa had mirrored thoughts as they watched, though she was the only one who voiced it aloud next to Armin. James saw them both get up and back away from each other, Eren being closer to his friends while Reiner growed. James still crawled on his remaining limbs, and focused on healing.

 _'He did it'_ He thought as Mikasa spoke "He did it.."


	71. 71 Clash-Teamwork

**Here we go, next part. Lil'Manuel.G dont worry, it'll get to that in a chapter or two, but there'll be a twist. I know it's a little hard to write the fighting techniques used but I'm trying to describe them as realistically as possible. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Teamwork_

Armin and Mikasa were still close by Eren as he stood with his fists raised at Reiner, still readt to fight now that Reiner was missing a limb. It gave him a slight advantage, and as he watched the Armored traitor lumber slowly towards him, he quickly looked to see where James was. ' _He should be tearing into Reiner with his teeth and claws, so where is he?_ ' He soon spotted him crawling around like an animal on his arms and one leg, the other seems to have been torn off.

However that wasn't holding him back as he still snarled and bared his teeth at Reiner, circling him about 12 meters away. Reiner still seemed wary of him even downed, which told Eren that Reiner knew he was on even ground now to both of them. James had lost a limb and so had he, while Eren and James are both still ready to tear out his nape if they get the chance.

He was brought out of his observation by Armin's voice calling out to him, he turned his head to listen better "Eren can you hear me? Run away! You have to get closer to the wall, they're trying to abduct you! We can't let them do that. Trust me escape is our best option!" As Eren seemed to ponder the words Mikasa spoke up next to him, giving him the tough truth of reality they were all in. "You say that, but Armin c'mon. They're not just gonna let us leave." As if to prove her point Reiner once again began making his way towards Eren at a slow walk. But he made sure to keep an eye on James, who was still tracking his movements and waiting for a moment to strike. Once he heals, things will get even harder for him to get Eren or James back to Eldia. _He needed to settle this now._

Moblit landed near the pair, using his gear on a tree as he called out orders from Hange. "Both of you, fall back now!" Armin took off, but Mikasa looked at her brother one last time with a moment of hesitation. But she too fired her hooks and headed back towards the wall, not seeing Eren debating about what to do. Ultimately he decided to fall back as he saw James leg having grown more of itself back. Soon enough he would be able to fight Reiner alone, and Eren could escape with the others though the option of leaving left him with distate. _He_ _wanted to fight, to end this now_.

 _'Dammit why can't this leg heal faster?_ _Any other time it regenerates just fine, but when I need it most it takes it's sweet ass time! Damn! He's right there, practically begging for me to tear his goddamn head off!'_ James thought frustrated that he still has to crawl on the _defense_ , instead of atra king like he would no matter his stance if he had the rest of his leg.

But it wouldn't be long now, it was halfway down his ankle. The foot still wasn't formed, which meant he couldn't really move as efficiently as he would need in order to fight Reiner on equal footing. _'Just a little longer and I'll take him down. And if Eren wants to join in, he's more than welcome. But I will give the dearh blow, I'm not taking prisoner. Just like the bastard said, we settle this. Right here, right now!'_

Mikasa and Armin just arrived back at the wall when they felt the wind blowing hard as something large moved behind them, and to their grateful surprise, it was Eren. Keiji was the first to call out to him "Good job Eren, nice call!" Eren nodded but returned his face to Reiner. Mikasa looked to Armin "Looks like he's in control again. I hope he can keep it up though."

Armin told her "I know but your right. They're not just gonna let us leave. Escapes impossible unless we cripple Reiner or James fully regenerates. We know he can handle him just fine, but Eren doesn't have the protection on his body like either of them."

Hange heard this as she landed on his right shoulder and Eren glanced at her. He still kept focus on Reiner, but he also waited to hear what she had to say. "Listen up Eren: if we're going to get you out of here, you've got to buy us some time. Stop Reiner dead in his tracks. Do you think you can break off one of his legs with another one of those joint holds? It's either that or we wait for Draekon to heal and exfile while they battle it out. I know your not fond of him right now, but he has a bigger chance of crippling or killing Reiner from what we know of his fighting skill.

If you both work it out you can take Reiner down for good. _You_ can't out muscle him, but he can be outsmarted if you and James play it right. Give it a shot or we go with the original plan, snap off a leg. Understood?" Eren looked at her and after a moment, gave a grumble of acceptance. Hange couldn't help but feel her face redden as she was actually being acknowledge by a Titan when she gave orders. Sure Draekon had nodded and chuckled at her, but he was his in person. She didn't control him or Eren, but the later was under her command at the moment.

Armin was deliberating what he heard Hange tell Eren, and decided to give his weapons to the right person. "Mikasa, take my blades. I want you to use them if they can't team up, try and find a weak spot between his armor."

High above the scouts the garrison soldier who helped save Eren and his family years ago landed atop the wall. Hannes was searching for the scout leader in this area when he spotted the massive shape of the Colassal Titan on top of the wall, much to his surprise and fear. "The Colassal Titan? I knew it! But why'why'd he show up here of all places?" Looking around he spotted a small blonde girl tending to a wounded soldier alongside a bald cadet he recalled seeing during the Trost campaign.

Figuring they were classmates of errns he asked the girl "What's going on? Where is everyone, where's Eren?" She looked distressed, but still pointed at the outside out towards the territory that was once protected by Wall Maria. "He and the others are over that way, down there!" Quickly making his way over to the edge he spotted _three other surprises._

The Armored Titan missing part of it's arm, the Titan that helped escort him and Eren's family to the gate that day, _The_ _Mauler,_ if what the rumors said to be true betrayed humanity after the scouts last expedition. And finally he spotted a 15 meter near the wall holding a combat pose, surrounded by a few scouts, while the rest stayed attached to the wall. "What? So I take it that's his Titan form huh? And both the Armored and Mauler are here too?"

Hange turned and aimed for the wall before shouting out "Give it a chance, I'm counting on you!". Eren looked back to Reiner and then to James, who was almost fully healed as his agitated snarls began to grow quieter, realizing how close he was to getting back in the fight. Despite that he still was pissed at James for that hit an dwhat hes done, he was even more furious at Reiner and Bertoldt for their betrayel. ' _This_ _is the one time where running away guarantees victory. You guys are screwed for letting us see your true colors. You've backed yourselves into a corner-Huh??'_ but he was brought out of his thoughts by what he saw.

Reiner had begin charging at him, gaining momentum and before they all knew it, he was on Eren up close. " _What the?!"_ Armin exlcaimed just before Reiner hit Eren. "He's fast!" Mikasa said as she saw Eren get knocked into the wall and fell to the ground. Reiner growled and threw back his left arm to aim a quick fist at Eren's head to incapacitate him. James saw the whole thing playing out and tried scurrying over on his near finished foot. ' _Almost_ _! Just a little more, keep him distracted but don't get pinned!'_ James thought as he saw Eren get tossed to the ground and Reiner aimed a jab.

As Eren dodged the fist that would've crushed his face yet again, his thoughts quickly alternated between fight or flight. _'Shit, the leg! Go for the leg!!_ he tried once again to lock Reiner up in the hold but couldn't get a good enough purchase. He couldn't keep trying as Reiner threw faster blows that nearly clipped his face twice. Eren had no choice but to get out from under him, or he would be knocked out again and get kidnapped. He kicked him off and quickly got up, where Reiner then crouched slightly and held up his good hand like he was going to block him from running.

 _'I've gotta hurry this up before HE gets up!_ ' Reiner thought with a tingle of fear as he focused in on how to quickly take Eren down. Moblit and Keiji moved through the air alongside Hange to get closer and see if they could assist somehow. Moblit asked them "Since when is he so light on his feet?" in disbelief at the newfound speed the Armored Titan had just displayed.

Keiji replied in frustration "We're completely and utterly useless!" but Hange cut him off as her eyes narrowed on Reiners body from the back. " _No_ , it's not feasible that his body is as hard as stone from head to toe. He couldn't move as fast if that were the case. Warriors used to sheath themselves in armor, way back in the olden days. But they had to leave certain sections of armor for freedom of movement though, like the armpits and groin or.. _The spot behind the knee!_ " She exclaimed as she saw the back of Reiners ankles and knees were devoid of the hardened plates. She yelled out to Mikasa "Ackerman, the knee is exposed!" and saw her nod of confirmation.

Further away James watched with darkened glee as his body nearly finished regenerating his clawed feet, itching to use them to crush and rip something apart. ' _C'mon just a little bit more!'_ He thought as he saw Eren get out from under Reiner, and looked to see that they finally had _finished._ _'There we go! And now it's time to make good on the promise I swore to keep!'_ _James_ gave a loud roar of approval that Reiner didn't seem to hear, as he still charged yet again at Eren. _'Good means I can sneak up on the bastard!'_ While he was distracted James would attack from behind, where his nape would be in pure open glory, just begging to be taken. James tore off after at him on all fours thinking to himself _'Now it's time to finish round 2, and Claim My Prize!'_ and exposed his teeth once more, running his tongue over them. He had one last thought repeat itself just like it did years ago, but this time things would be different.

 _'This time I will not fail!'_


	72. 72 Clash-Interrupted

**Alright, I know I left off on another cliffhanger, but then again all of season 2 ended on cliffhangers at the worst possible times, especially at the end of " _Close Combat"._ Don't worry, I don't plan on having too many more but there is always that damned word limit. Otherwise the whole fight might be only been 2 much longer chapters. Next update for Awakening can be expected in about a week, Web of Hearts about 2 days. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Interrupted._

Eren watched as Reiner took a running pose, and rocketed towards him again. _'There's too much power behind his attacks! I can't dodge this..Nggh well if I'm gonna get slammed, bring it! There we go, gimme that neck!'_ He thought as Reiner knocked him over, but Even wrapped both his legs around Reiners waist, and his arms around the neck in a guillotine choke hold. He roared out at Reiner as he fell to the ground with his limbs all locked around his foe's body. _"YOUR MINE YOU SON OF A BITCH!!"_

Eren began to squeeze and pull Reiner into an awkward position as Mikasa started to quickly zip her way over to them. Behind her she could hear James bounding towards them, but she needed to get there first and give them a helping hand before he reached Reiner and Eren. Below her and a few meters away Eren was struggling to keep Reiner in place as he began to try breaking out from the hold _'Dammit, I'm slipping!'_.

Reiner had began to knee Eren in his lower back, but stopped when he heard a familiar yell and the firing of gas and the readying of swords. Mikasa swooped in and sliced the back of the knee that he was using to try and get loose, and gave a deep growl of pain as steam exited his clamped mouth. The damage done by the deep cut made his left leg useless as it buckled to the knee. _'Dammit, time for Plan B!'_ Reiner thought as he abandoned the idea of escaping Eren's grip.

 _'Try fighting back minus a leg!'_ Eren thought as he again pulled upwards to try and decapitate Reiner, but like James he still had the armor around his nape to protect him. It made things harder, but the exposed areas of flesh on his back were steaming from the force of Eren's hold. _'I can win, I can beat Reiner! He's going down!'_ But Reiner wasn't quite finished yet as he began to crawl forward and drag Eren along with him. He aimed to bring him towards near where they originally had landed, but foze just a few meters shy of the spot when he heard heavy poundings echoing through the ground. _'Dammit, no! Not now!'_ He thought as he tried kicking himself into overdrive.

As Eren lay to the ground during Reiner's attempt to drag and dislodge him, he could feel the ground shaking not only from his and Reiner's movements, but _another_ set of heavier steps approaching the pair. _'So he's back up finally!'_ he thought as he heard an unnatural screech of absolute hatred and pulled harder on Reiner back, exposing his neck area. James had leapt and dug his claws into Reiners back, and tore off two of his back plates with a mighty roar. Reiner gave another deep groan of pain and shot his leg out to kick James back in the chest. He staggered from the kick and landed on his back for a moment, snarling as he made to get up before stopping.

He watched in plain confusion and irritation as Reiner began to crawl forward again with Eren still locked onto him. _'Where does he honestly think he's going? He's only delaying his death by seconds!'_

James began to move towards him again, slower than before, this time making sure to drag his talons through the hard rock and letting the sound reach Reiner's ears. He also snapped his jaws open and shut a few times, already imagining the crunch he would feel when he bit into his armored head. It achieved the desired effect as Reiner began to move frantically forward to get away with fear visibly shown in his movements. James hissed out to him with a malicious, predatory grin plastered on his face. " _Why_ _bother Reiner? You'll only die tired...It's time to face the music!"_

As he neared the exposed back he paused when Reiner let loose a loud scream of distress. It sounded different from his groans or roars of pain, this one _actually_ _sounded_ _fearful_. James smiled inside his Titan, a terrible vengeful smile showing his human teeth while he prepared to deliver the death blow, after some pain first. _'Good, you fear your death. You fear Me.'_ He thought as he crawled atop and began to painfully dig his claws into Reiners shoulder blades, making him suffer and groan in pain again.

High above on the top of the wall Connie, Historia, Marco and the other scouts were all watching it play out before them. Those from the 104 watched partially in vegance as the Armored Titan seemed to be in pain, but also in horror as they remembered that it was _Reiner_ who was being clawed open. And even more horror as they remembered that it was _James_ who was doing it, seemingly with a sadistic intent. After all they knew how fast he could kill a Titan, but here now he was taking his sweet time ripping out armored plates and flesh from Reiner's back.

Connie still had a hard time accepting that it was Reiner underneath that pile of flesh he knew to be the Armored Titan. And Historia was faring no better than him, she thought she knew him, just like she thought she knew Ymir and James. But it turns out both of the people who had been her admirers and tried to gain her heart were also shifters. One of whom was a sworn enemy to humanity, and the other person who was battling now was acting like a pure monster caught in his revenge.

She knew that Reiner had wronged James greatly when he killed his sister she knew how hard it affected him. She also knew that he broke the gate of Wall Maria and let the Titans in doing so, but that wasn't a excuse for how she watched James ripping him to sgreds like a piece of meat. It disturbed her, just like it had the night James killed their kidnappers. The rage, the brutality, the cruelty in the acts gave her fear, but she still tried to see through it, also like she had that night.

What also unsettled them was the unnatural scream they had heard moments before come from Reiner, as the sound didn't resemble anything they had heard Eren or James make during the battle. It seemed to be one of distress, a call for help, but they along with the rest of the scouts saw nothing as they prepared to defend from incoming Titans in the exposed territory of Wall Maria. "I don't like this, any of it. There had to be some reason for that scream, he made it _before_ James started tearing him up. _Why_?"

What they didn't know was that while the scream _was indeed a call for help,_ it didn't go unheard. It was heard by the two people who waited for it, although they hadn't been expecting the amount of pain behind it. As Bertoldt's body began to crumble and move slightly, Connie heard the noise and looked up to the form of the Colassal Titan, half decomposed and now _not steaming._ He also saw the fragile ribs attached to the side start to snap, and began to call out to those nearby as his eyes widened in understanding.

"What the... _Hey..hey..hey hey hey_ _HEY!!!"_ He yelled out as he and everyone else watched in horror as Bertoldt's body began to lean dangerously over the side before the last of the ribs snapped. The massive torso began to free fall towards the ground, aimed at a spot just near a deep crater. A spot where 3 shifters were all locked in combatitive holds and oblivious to the chaos falling towards them. Moblit saw the shadow cover the sky above them and shouted out from higher up to Hange and the rest " _Above you! LOOK OUT!!!"_

James was reaching for Reiner's nape with his claws outstretched, he's had his fun making him scream in pain. Now it was time to finish this, and leave for his new home. But he noticed something, alot of yelling above and behind him, and that the sky had gotten darker. _'Clouds? It was sunny and clear just a second ago. Huh Odd..'_ But he also saw Eren yelp out in surprise as he stared wide eyes upwards at something, and James too decided to look up. He saw Bertoldt's Colassal body freefalling towards the ground, aimed right where they were at. He barely got to shriek in shock as his and Eren's thoughts simotaneously screamed _'SSHIIIIIITTT!!!!'_ just before Bert crashed on top of them all.

It was a massive explosion of sorts, light flashing and a huge blast of steam as the body slammed into the ground, shaking it. James fell flat on his face and made to get up as he saw Eren too fall to his stomach. He saw Eren try to rise but Reiner's armored hand roughly grabbed and tore his nape out before the armored bastards jaws bit Eren out. James tried to rise but he felt an icy slash cut right through and pull apart _his own nape,_ and found himself being dragged from his form's body. He couldn't make sense of it, but as his human form met the intense hear he passed out from the temperature and the exhaustion of using his Titan so many times within a 24 hour period.

Reiner and Annie held their captives in their hands as Bert began to exit his self decaying body, carrying Ymir with delicacy in his arms. He had on the Odm rig that Annie fastened around him while he held his Titan ready atop the wall, and fired a hook into Reiner's flesh. Annie ensured that James was out before placing him in her mouth and making sure Reiner could run next to her. He seemed okay, but she was prepared to carry them all if need be. She knew his body must be aching from the battle, but for now she would let him run till he needed her.

As she began to run away from the wall and the scouts still trying to make out what had even happened, a feeling of guilt washed over her. She knew James would be _extremely_ _angry_ at her once he finds out what she did, but hopes the exhaustion from shifting and being in his Titan for so long will keep him asleep. It'd give her and the others the chance to get back to Eldia without any further delays, but she knew they would have to stop and rest at some point.

She too was tired from fighting during the night and only having an hour or two to recover before shifting again. But her thoughts still held the guilt as she ran forward next to Reiner, and kept trying to be in the forefront of her mind.

' _He_ ' _going to be so angry, but he might understand. If not well..at least he can get to hear Reiner and Bert's side of things. Maybe once he hears them explain he won't be so mad at me for snatching him up. Hopefully.'_ Annie thought grimly.


	73. 73 Clash-Old Traitors, New Friends

**Finall** **y here we go, the next part of the Clash of the Titans! Taking most inspiration from episode 9 and 10 of season two. Quite a few povs, dialogue heavy set of chapters here. Reiner will be more or less like how he was during that episode, but not as... _split._ Love that meme of him btw. He knows what he's done, but I'm not going to give it away. You'll just have to wait and see. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Old Traitors, New Friends_

Darkness. ' _Sweet soothing, lovely darkness'_ James hummed in his sleep, unaware he was producing a reverberating sighing sound in his throat from his breathing. _Darkness_. That's all he could see as he began to wake from his slumber. He could sense light however, and his thoughts began to wake a little, but the tiredness kept telling him to go to sleep. ' _Hunnnh_ _whaaa..where.._ _sooo..tired..."_ He tried to open an eye, but found some light that he recoiled from in his tiredness. Instead he closed it and started to fall back under when he thought he heard yelling, voices around him.

" _What the hell happened to my hands?! James! C'mon wake up! Dammit animal, stop sleeping and get up!"_ An angered, familiar one that made his mind grimace internally as it yelled out to him. That was the source of the loud noise, and James found himself becoming ticked at it disturbing his peace. _'..Shut up..'_

"Eren, _do you really think that's such a good idea?_ He's not gonna be any more pleasant once he wakes up." Another voice, a female's told him, seeming to have a scowl behind it. For some reason he found himself annoyed at her words as well, but not like the first one causing so much noise. Apart of himself actually wanted to thank it for trying to quell the louder one from before.

"She's right, as much as I don't want to admit it. It's enough Eren, let's all just take a break for right now. Let James sleep, _he's been through enough as it is."_ A cold but familiar voice he found himself subconsciously agreeing with, favoring the thought of more sleep. But the voice also made him feel a bit warmer, because he heard it soften considerably when it talked about him at the end.

"Annies right. We've all been through s lot these past few days, so let's all just calm down a relax. You yelling won't do ya any favors except annoying us all." More familiarity, but something was off. Though the voice was reasonable, reassuring even, he found himself bristling with anger at it. ' _But why?'_ James asked himself.

" _Please_ Eren, don't make this any harder than it already is." Another lower voice voice, trying to make peace. It too was familiar, but he also found himself growling unconsciously at it. _'Why am I reacting like this? They sound nicer than the first, so...why do I feel angry?'_ He asked himself again before hearing the first once again getting angry, but not being able to make out what it said.

' _Why_ _so...loud..?'_ His thoughts turned into annoyance as he became more aware as he started to recognize the voices. _'Eren...Ymir? Annie..Reiner and Bert.. **Reiner and Bert**... **REINER AND BERTOLDT!!**_ **_YOU FUCKING MURDERERS!!'_**

James eyes flashed open as he sat up quickly from where he had just lay fast asleep, startling the others. He quickly took in everything as he began rapidly asking questions to himself. _'Where am I? Where's Annie, is she safe? What's going on? Ymir's awake? What the hell happened to her and Eren's arms? Oh shit, what happened to mine?! And where are REINER AND BERTOLDT?!?'_ He quickly voiced his dismay at seeing his arms being gone below the upper arm, though they were healing _slowly_ , again.

"What the hell happened to my hands?!Where's the rest of my arms?!" He shouted, quickly looking around at their shocked faces as he demanded answers. The only person who answered was the _last person_ whose voice he wanted to hear.

"Sorry about that, but I only took Eren's off when we had to escape. If your that angry at them being like that, I'd take it up with Annie. She's the one who grabbed you, not me." Reiner told a rapidly fuming James, and he looked to Annie with accusation in his eyes. Meanwhile Annie looked and scowled at Reiner before looking to James with some apology on her face.

"I didn't mean to cut them James, it was an accident. I had to hurry and grab you out of your nape before you recovered and kept fighting. I'm sorry about that James, but-" She began to apologize and explain, But she was interrupted and flinched slightly at his voice. He wasn't going to let what she just told him go _that easily_.

"So _your_ the reason I'm not crunching down on either of those two assholes skulls right now? I'm stuck here unable to even scratch my nose and those two are sitting over there _just fine_ when they should be 6 feet under! What the hell Annie?! _Why'd you stop me from killing them?! Dammit Annie why?!?"_ The others were staring at the pair in shock, they _never heard_ James speak to her in such a way. It just went to show them how angry, or out of control he was at the moment.

She gathered herself and told him in a cool tone "I asked you not to kill them, remember? I said that you should hear-" and he yet again interrupted her. Her temper rose as she knew what he was going to say, but it wasn't the others business. At least, not Eren or Ymir's because Reiner and Bert were the main topic of the discussion. Nor did she appreciate him not letting her speak. "And I _told you_ that I would listen to _You_ , that I _forgave you and you alone!_ I told you up front that I wouldn't stop thinking of killing them, and I also told you to not let me meet them before we arrived at your village! I knew I wouldn't want anything less than to kill them, and so did you!"

Annie glared at him for the first time in _years_ , there was no way he was going to pin this on _her_. She didn't cause this, she was just there when everything went down. She yelled back at him "Well it's not my fault that you figured it out! I was walking on eggshells the entire time seeing you near them after our talk in the forest. I don't want to fight with you James, since your injured and can't do anything right now, shut up and listen to what they have to say! _Please!_ "

They all looked at her shocked as well, she never spoke that way to him. They were _always_ nice and caring with each other, even when fighting dirty they never lost their tempers or snapped at one other. If by chance someone _did_ piss them off, they would deal with that person by themselves without mercy. Eren, Ymir and Reiner knew first hand just how brutal they would be the next time they fought in training or the random but occasional fight that broke out, usually still all in good fun. Seeing the pair like this now really shook them, even Eren who was pissed at everyone around him except Ymir. She hadn't done anything to him, to be honest she was more of a mystery to him than ever. He could see that she like all of them were waiting for James reaction, be it more yelling or arguing between the two.

But all James did was narrow his eyes at her for a half a minute before he looked away, heavily sighing. They couldn't believe it, the mood change couldn't be _that simple, that easy_ to get him out of his current mindset. James sat back down, leaning against the massive tree he took note of being up in. He tried calming himself, but he still found himself glaring at Reiner and Bertoldt. He gave them one last look that seethed his urge to kill them before telling Annie in a more _controlled tone_ " _Fine,_ I'm listening."

Annie watched him, checking his body language from head to toe. To the others he _looked_ tense but relaxing, Annie knew better. His eyes were focused right on her, but his body was subconsciously winding itself up. Hopefully he wouldn't do anything rash, like trying to transform in this state. He was too damaged, he'd only hurt himself more, and though he had just yelled at her, she didn't want that. Everyone started easing their tension away at James seeming to grudgingly accept that he couldn't do anything at the moment.

Everyone except Eren.

" _Are you fucking kidding me James?! Your really just gonna sit there and listen to whatever bullshit she and those goddamn traitors spew out?!_ We should be thinking abou-" but an unexpected voice cut across him.

 _"Eren take a look around you, we've got nowhere else to go right now._ We're way too far outside of Wall Rose and we're all too injured to shift, but _they aren't_ , and they can. Besides they aren't exactly trying to harm us right now, because their just as stuck as we are. Look below us, and you'll see." Ymir's words caught his attention, and James too looked at the ground from where he sat. What lay there wasn't really surprising, mainly because he used to wake up to it all the time when he was alone, but to the rest they clearly were uncomfortable at the sight.

Below them at the base of the tree about a dozen Titans were slowly milling about, their hungry blank grins watching them. Some were trying in vain to climb the massive tree, others were just standing there clawing at the bark. A few must've been abnormals because James saw maybe 3 or 4 just watching them as if they were normal people. One 14 meter was laying back with it's arms behind it's head as if staring at the sky in interest. It had a smaller 3 meter laying on it's belly as if the two were best friends, another sat next to the larger one, crisscrossing it's legs. One was a few meters from the tree, silently watching them while peeking out from behind a tree. To him it almost seemed as if the beast was _shy_ , which brought a tiny hint of amuesment to his otherwise sour mood.

Their faces didn't faze him one bit, and he looked up quicker than the other two, his eyes once again going to Reiner and Bertoldt. They were on a pair of branches maybe 2 or 3 meters higher up from the one Annie stood on, leaning against the trunk. They seemed to be angsty, either from the Titans below or Him, or both. He decided to answer Eren.

"I'm deciding to listen to these two _murderers_ side of things, after all I listened to Annie's. And like I said, I _forgave her_. I never said I would forgive _them,_ and nor do I think I ever will, but I did say I would listen when the time came. It's going to be _very_ interesting to hear what they have to say in their defense." Eren looked at him in disbelief, before James added one last part of his declaration as he gave a cold smile at said pair.

" _After all, every animal gets more desperate when they know death is close."_


	74. 74 Clash-Two sides to Two truths

**Alright, continuing where we left off at James choosing to listen to Reiner and Bert. Warning, Reiner's not the same as he was in the real thing for several reasons, most of them shown earlier on during the Trost Arc. He's not _Split,_ but he's not normal exactly. I'm thinking more deluded in a sense, but you'll have to interpret it yourselves in the next chapter. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Two Sides to Two Truths_

"So who to try for mercy through explaining? _C'mon_ _We're_ _all_ _Friends_ here, or at least most of us used to be.

Eren hates me for defending myself, and I hate him for being an idiot and refusing to acknowledge that truth. I want to tear _you two_ to pieces, and you two seemed quite afraid of me atop The wall when I called you out. Annie and I aren't on the best of terms at the moment, but I hope that'll work itself out. After all I'm not _that_ mad at her, just ticked that she stopped me. Ymir seems alright, but then again she always acted like kind of a bitch to me, though in good taste.

So who wants to talk first? Go ahead, I'll give you killers some time to mull it over."

The words were spoken with such a cold intention behind them, but to those of whom they were directed at, it seemed as if he'd spoken with _amuesment._ It made Bertoldt nervous beyond comprehension, though he tried his best to hide it up, choosing not to face the person who craved for his death. And the worst part is that while Bert knows he has to live and help save home, _he deserved it._ He deserved whatever James was imagining in his head as he sat there, calmly awaiting an answer with a sadistic glint in his eyes and a smirk on his face.

Reiner had that hard look set on his face once more as he crossed his arms, not liking how any of this was going. It wasn't something he didn't expect to happen, he'd just wished for it to have gone a bit smoother. Since this whole thing started the miniture disaster had grown into a complete clusterfuck. He looked to his fellow shifters and could see Bert trying to hold it together, but knew he wouldn't last more of the psychological gameplay.

Annie seemed to be alright, but her mind was definitely somewhere else, distracted. Probably still cooling off from her and James argument. Eren was still angry at most of them, but he seemed to have wised up and finally accepted that he could only sit on his tree and wait for the inevitable talks. That's all they could do, even if it made them uncomfortable.

Ymir however was the first to speak up, her tone no different than it ever was. Snarky, sarcastic, but still aware of hers and the rest's situation. "Well, it's nice to know I'm so highly thought of in your head, Draekon. If it's alright with you, I'll be sure to keep it up. Might even go farther because of the name calling."

James looked over at her with a smirk and raised eyebrow. "Ha, Like you would've changed at all if I'd said otherwise. You seem to still be the same person from training, though I am curious about your Titan form. Mind telling me about it since these two are still silent? I'm interested in it's abilities to say the least."

Ymir raised and eyebrow of her own as she saw the Titan trio who held them captive tense up. Annie openly glared at her, Reiner just turned his hardened face away with his arms crossed but Bertoldt...his reaction _confused_ her. Where their faces were filled anger to some degree at the freckled girl, his expression was different. He seemed _depressed_ at the mention of her Titan form, his eyes seemed so sad, which made her question why. _'Why is he looking at me like that?'_. She looked from them to reply back. "Not much to tell, you saw me at the tower fighting. Plus from what I gather those three don't want to talk about it for some reason."

As the words left her mouth Annie was the first to snap at her "That's because you ate Marcel and then you had the gall to become that monster again at the tower!" Ymir raised an eyebrow and replied with less sarcasm in her voice than before. "I did that? I killed someone you knew?"

Reiner spoke up too as Annie finished " _Don't you dare act innocent_ , we all saw your Titan form! It was the same one from 5 years ago, you killed him! You ate him right in front of us!" At this both James and Betoldt found themselves annoyed. James found it darkly ironic that _Reiner was mad at Ymir for keeping a secret regarding killing someone he knew._ _'Godsamn hypocrite, and yet he stays silent with me?'_ He thought, his eyes narrowing once more at the tall blonde.

Though he knew she did it, Bertoldt wasn't so set that Ymir _deliberately_ killed Marcel. The way she spoke made it seem like she wasn't _aware_ of the event ever happening. ' _Was_ _it possible..?'_ Bertoldt thought, and spoke up to Ymir, asking her a crucial question. "Ymir...how long have you been a _shifter_?" Her expression darkened, and he felt a moment of fear when she replied in a dead tone, not looking at them. " _5 years_. That's how long I've been _able to shift_." The cogs started working in Bert's mind as he noted her emphasis on _shifter._ But he would need more information before he told his theory to the other two. He has to be careful about the way he goes about it, without showing his own personal feelings for the freckled girl. He wants to appear unbiased, a voice of reason. But he knows that Reiner might call him out on it because of his partial outburst back at Wall Rose.

James decided to speak up, asking Annie about the situation. "I don't know who this Marcel is, but you and Reiner keep saying that Ymir _ate_ him. What happened?" Eren looked at James, not happy that he wasn't trying to shift or attack, but he _was curious_ to find information about the Titan trio, and possibly Ymir as well. Things weren't adding up here, just like what James said before about hearing Reiner and Bert's side when he had already heard Annie's. _'If he already knows than why listen? What's he playing at? Time to heal, or is he actually wanting to hear them out? There's no way he'll forgive either of them. That I know for sure about him.'_

Reiner looked to Annie and Bertoldt, before finally sighing. "It was when we were first heading for the walls. The journey between there and our home village is far, about 4 days even if we use our Titans sparingly. The morning we... _arrived,_ we were packing up our camp when Ymir began rising out of the ground. It was me who was originally going to be eaten, I was locked up with fear. I couldn't move, but..." At this Reiner looked away, and Annie spoke up for him, her voice wavering a little as she persevered.

"Reiner was shoved out of the way from Ymir's hand by Marcel. He was always looking out for us, it's why he was our leader for the mission. So being the selfless person he was, he knocked Reiner back without a second thought and was taken imstead. _He didn't even shift, he just...gave us one last look as she lifted him to her jaws and.."_ and she too looked pained at reliving it. James took pity on her, but couldn't stop himself from making a somewhat cold comment to Reiner.

"You know...it's almost tragic. _Well it is,_ in it's own way, but I can't really say anything about his death. Being eaten is horrible, but hopefully it was quick enough that he didn't feel it. I wonder that if we would've met that we might have become friends. From what Annie just said, Marcel sounds _alot_ like who _you_ pretended to be, Reiner. Tell me, did you look up to him? Try becoming him after his sacrifice? Trying to be a leader, someone who puts his friends before himself? _Like how me and Eren looked up to and trusted you?_ "

Reiner narrowed his eyes but still stayed silent, and ,James leaned a bit forward and went on "It's a shame that he pushed you out of the way, because if _you_ had died that day, then you and I would've never met at the gate. Unless he had armor like us, I would've crushed him if it came to a fight. The inner gate would never have been breached, those refugees would've never been sent on a suicide mission by those lying fucks in the capital.. _and my sister would still be alive. I'm still waiting for an explanation you two._ _Talk_ , for all the good it does you now."

The pair were silent still, until Bertoldt surprisingly spoke up to try and ease the tension "James, you have every right to be angry and want to kill the both of us, but can't it wait till we get to our village? You might understand better once you see it, even if you still choose to never forgive us. For all that it might or might not mean to you, _I am very, very sorry for what I did to you, and to your parents._ But _please_ know that I didn't want this anymore than Reiner did. It's just what we had to do, in order to save those who matter to us. You know all about that, don't you? About doing whatever it takes to protect them?" his voice a bit desperate towards the end.

James wants to snap at him, but he finds himself mildly impressed and _agreeing_ to a degree with his words. ' _T_ _hat doesn't make things any better, but the sentiment is...nice, I guess. Truthful'._

"I know about your guy's village, Annie already told me about it, and the _threat to it, to us_. I know _exactly_ why you did what you did, but that doesn't make me not want to kill you any less. I'm still waiting for _him_ to say something. You killed my parents, but I like I said I had issues with them because of my training. You took away the chance for me to right the things I did wrong, and for them to possibly do the same for me. But _He_ took something pure, someone who _never_ deserved what happened to her, away from me. He just stands there, not saying a goddamn word. But..you at least are attempting to pay for your sins. I find you less hard to look at, _but_ _I still hate you_."

Bertoldt was actually shocked at his words, he'd been expecting something alot harsher. Sure he wasn't forgiven in any way, and nor had he believed he ever would be. But at least he was _understood,_ which did make him feel slightly less guilty. It was better than nothing, but Bert wishes that Reiner would just say something already. _'Why is he so silent?_ '. He had just as much guilt back in training and in Trost, it didn't change. ' _So why is he staying quiet and not even trying_?'

What Bert didn't know was the answer was as bout to come. It just wasn't one he wanted.


	75. 75 Clash-Warriors And Soldiers

**Alright new chapter, I actually was a bit dissatisfied with how the last one went regarding Reiner and his choice to stay silent to James. If I didn't have the word limit this one would've explained it towards the later half, but alas I had to split it up (Just like Reiner did to his mind lol.) As usual drop a review, tell me your thoughts. I honestly live for them. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Warriors And Soldiers_

Bertoldt and James got their unexpected and frankly _surprising_ answer when one of their group got thirsty.

"Hey Reiner, got any water? Help a girl out, I'm dying over here." Ymir asked him, still sitting with one of her partial legs crossed over the other. For some reason it amused him to see her acting like that, so casual given how unnatural the situation and tensions between them all was. James too found himself to be a bit thirsty, but he was also hungry. He didn't have any arms to take a bite out of, so he'd just have to suck it up till he healed.

By then he might be having another option for a meal, but James wasn't so sure about full on cannibalism yet. Self inflicted for survival is one thing, eating others for pleasure was below him. It reminded him of the Titans, how they didn't need anything except sunlight yet chose to continuously eat people till their bellies filled before throwing them up to repeat the grisly cycle. He never thought of actually eating another person, but for a certain pair or others he might make an exception.

"Sorry, but there's not a helluva lot I can do, even if it is life or death." Reiner told her, he also looked like he needed a drink, the last time any of them ate was atop the wall before their fight, but how long ago was that? He'd obviously been asleep for an hour or two, bit the sun seemed to be lowered but a considerable amount. There would still be an hour before sundown began, and hopefully by then he would be fully healed.

"That's comforting, at least we know where we stand. _Sort of._ " As Ymir spoke James couldn't help but laugh at her odd choice of words. They all looked to him with eyebrows raised, but he was quick to defend himself. "What? _It was funny._ Not my fault you guys have a shitty sense of humor. Besides _she said it._ Excuse me for trying to find something to take my mind down a notch from a full homicidal rampage." They seemed surprised at his apparent mood swings, it wasn't like him. Sure they knew he was more of a reactive person to those who talked to him, merely engaging in friendly conversation if it was given to him first. But he also had a reserved side that would come out over debates or arguments that they had.

"You know I thought you of all people would be the most serious right now. How can you sit there and laugh when the people who killed your family are right in front of you? What the hell's wrong with you?" Eren said to him, almost as if he was disgusted by James actions. Said boy rolled his eyes in annoyance before snapping back "Of course I'm serious, haven't you been listening to what I've said at all this entire time? I'm trying to stay _calm_ , but I said I don't forgive them. I _understand one of them,_ but the other hasn't given me anything to change my mind. _As if I would."_

He was irked that Reiner chose to reply to her but stay silent at him, and was about to voice it when the blonde said something that him pause as he heard the end of it. "Speaking of which, We've been working our asses off. No food except at Rose, no sleep, no nothing ever since those Titans showed up, that was yesterday right? Man, we're lucky the wall hasn't been destroyed. Still you think that means they would give us a break. _And don't even get me started on promotion."_

Everyone's eyes widened, except for Bertoldt's. Annie's seemed confused, and muttered under her breath " _What the hell?"_

Reiner appeared to have heard her, and voiced his thoughts. "What? Aw c'mon I don't think that's too much to ask, do you? God knows we've done our share of heavy lifting, all things considered. I mean I get it, we're _soldiers_ , duty first. _It's just nice to be acknowledged."_

James and Eren sat there just staring at Reiner with wide eyes, their thoughts mirrored. _'What did he just say? Did he really...jest say that?'_ But Ymir was the first to say anything, still with that sarcastic edge in her voice "You bang your head or something? What are you even talking about? _Seriously?_ " But again Reiner stunned them with his words, not sounding like he had a single bad thought going through his mind.

"Aw Don't give me that, I don't say we storm in and demand the rank of Captain or anything." But Ymir's smirk began to vanish from her face, she finally saw that _he was completely serious._ Her tone grew more hesitant "No, _that's_..that's not what I mean..."

Reiner went on, recalling more memories, _but not the ones that happened today, or years ago._ "Oh yeah, where did you find that cannon by the way? I owe you one for saving my bacon. Really nice of Krista to patch me up afterwards, I'm starting to think me and her might become a thing. _Right_? I mean it's not just me, she always treats me like we're.." But he was stopped when Eren shouted out " _HEY_ James just looked at Reiner with narrowing pupils as his vision started tinting red.

" _What the hell's wrong with you? You **bastard** , you've gotta be fucking kidding me.._" James growled out, his face growing into a full snarl he usually only showed when fighting back against wild animals, wolves to be exact. But much to his and Eren's increasing rage Reiner held up his hands in honest confusion as he began sounding like he was legitimately unaware of what they were talking about. "Huh? What are you two so pissed about all of a sudden? Take it easy guys, Was it _something I said or..?"_

Eren yelled out first "If you wanna die, then just keep talking!!" And James followed him up after " _How dare you?!? You stand there and don't say anything_ and now your wondering what we're talking about?! _I'll fucking-"_ But before he goes on Ymir kneels up on a now healed leg, holding out a hand at the two while looking at Reiner with a glint in her eyes like the one James had asking for answers.

"Hold up you two, something not right here. I think _someone's gone off the deep end._ Is that what this is Bertoldt? If you know something we don't, now would be a good time to put it on the table.." Reiner looks to Bert, and is still confused until Bertoldt wipes away a tear, before telling him.

"Reiner, you have to snap out of it. _Please_ , You're not a Soldier anymore okay? I know how much you want to be, I want it too, but _we can't anymore_. You and I are... _we're Warriors."_ The words are so simple to them all and they don't understand the significance behind them, but then they see Reiner's face _change_. His eyes dilated and he starts looking at Bertoldt with wide eyes, as if seeing something else besides his friend. His breathing gets faster, taking shorter breathes, and Annie starts to understand. Eren thinks it looks familiar, but he can't place it in his head until he sees Annie look at James with pitying eyes. Then he gets it, ' _He_ _'s reliving something from the past._ '

" _Right...I see..That's how it is..that's how-"_ He tells no one in particular, and Bertoldt looks at him again with that sad look in his eyes before staring out at the sun. Reiner's attitude seems to be changing back to how he was before, his face looking more downcast as he sat and crossed his legs. He put it in one shaking hand and started to breath harder as James growls out " _What the hell is he doing?"_

Ymir speaks up, her tone sounding as if she's put alot of thought into it so fast. "I have a pretty good idea, or at least I think so. Didn't add up at first, _why would the man who broke the wall risk his neck to save Connie?_ It's like the poor bastard's personality is.. _torn_. You keep wanting him to give you an explanation for his actions, and yet he seems to be unaware of it all until he gets reminded of _who he is._

On one hand he's a _Warrior_ who was sent to carry out his mission, who killed your sister and destroyed the gate. _On the other however, he's a soldier set on defending humanity._ I'm thinking he got a little lost in the role, or at least _he_ _wants to be._ You see, _he_ can't _bear the weight of what he's done, he can't face those who he's hurt_ after spending so much time among us. He started off as a warrior, but after hearing and seeing all the death, all the pain, he tried to push it all down by becoming a soldier. Someone who can be liked by everybody, _by his friends_. He _wants_ to be a soldier, but in the back of his head, that part of him remains to tell him that _he's still a Warrior_.

He has _some_ control of who he is, but certain things seem to set him off. You asking about your sisters death makes him retreat to being the soldier, even if he's unaware of doing it. But at the word _Warrior_ he remembers who he is and what he's done, with _all the guilt behind it._ From what I heard He fought you when he was called out on being who he is. Normally he would've denied it, but he was backed into a corner. He _chose_ to let the warrior have control.

This is what you _could_ call, _a split personality._ He's partially _insane._ It's an endless cycle, the only way for him to keep himself together is to fall for his own act when things get tough. _Blows me away,_ someone as brutally honest as you losing-" but it seems like Reiner's had enough of her analysis.

" _Shut up! Not another word...please.."_ Ymir stops as she sees the look in his eyes, dangerous...but also _pleading_. She tilts her head, before bringing back her smirk once more to say a few last words. "I'm sorry. _Seems that I hit a nerve."_

No one spoke, until James finally whispered to himself " _You bastard... your wallowing in self pity for what you've done. How Dare You.."_ then he started speaking louder "What was going through your head when I first told you my story huh? What about when I showed you _what_ I was in Trost? I'm talking to you, you _split son of a bitch._ _Answer me_ _RIGHT NOW!"_

Reiner finally looked at him, "You want me to be honest? When I first heard your story, I felt guilty for you. I already had it since that day from everything I did, but...I was afraid when I saw you shift in Trost. It all started making sense, and I knew I couldn't tell you. Just try and make up for what I've done by doing other things. I'm sorry for it all James, but I had no choice. It had to be done."

 _Very poor choice of words_.


	76. 76 Clash-The Weight Of Lives

**Okay here we go, another cliffhanger but I apologize in advance for quite a few I know I'm going to be making. Seems that I have a gift for them lol.** **So we left off on Reiner somewhat confessing to James,but it isn't exactly what _should_ have been said. Lots of tension in this one, and I apologize in advance to Bertoldt. I don't hate the guy, especially in this story. But there is a part where you might think I went a little too hard on the guy. You'll see why. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-The Weight Of Lives_

As the last of Reiner's somewhat blunt apology ended, warning bells went off on high alert in everyone'sheads The final words alone should _never have been said_ , and they all thought the same thing as they began looking at James. _'A very Very poor choice of Words.'_ They all watched as James stopped growling to look down at his feet, and he seemed to be talking to himself at first.

" _Sorry for me huh?_ I see...so your not a _Warrior or a Soldier. Your just a murderer._ Just like what they want to call me...but what I did was _self defense_. I offered mercy, I told you to stop what you were doing, but all you did was charge onward. _No road_ _left but the one that leads to the end huh?_ " Despite the situation not being at all one to intervene in, Eren's anger once again got the better of him as he yet again heard James try to excuse his own horrible actions as _self defense_. It _infuriated_ him to no end.

"Don't stand there and act like _your any better than he is._ He may have let the Titans in and killed your sister, but that's because he's that fucked up in the head and dedicated to saving whatever home he's supposedly taking us to. _You_...you killed people without a second thought just _because they got in your way._ _Your a monster_ , you don't have any feelings for what you've done. You, Annie, Bertoldt and Reiner. _Your all_ _Psychotic_ _mass murderers who snuffed out the lives of countless people that never did you any wrong."_

Before James could yell at him Reiner finally looked up with probably the angriest face they had ever seen him wear and shout " _Don't you think I'm aware of that fact!?!_ I don't need you shoving it down my goddamn throat!" Eren was fast to reply " _Then stop acting like you've got any right to feel sorry for yourselves_! _We're living in a hell you two and your kind created! Are you proud of yourselves? Your not one of us, you've never been! YOUR NOT EVEN HUMAN ANYMORE!!"_

" _Our kind?! Your one of us too you goddamn fool!"_ James shouted out as they all found themselves internally outraged from the way Eren clustered them together. But Reiner was quick to snap back "You want an _apology_?! Is _that what you hope to get out of calling us murderers?!_ Want us to _feel bad?!_ Want us to take the blame?! Too _fucking late, we already feel it!_ So Who're you talking to?! The people you call your leaders are the ones keeping you living like slaves behind the walls! Accept it or not but that's the truth! _What's done is done, there's no changing the past so get over it!_ But hey if screaming does it for ya, _go ahead and SCREAM YOUR GODDAMN HEAD OFF!!!"_

Silence took over as everyone was either looking away from the confrontation or glaring at Eren. James, Reiner and Annie were openly glaring at him. How dare he even say they aren't human, blame them for everything when it was humanities fault for how things are now? Granted they knew it wasn't _all_ of it, but the Monarchy and the wall cult were the ones who caused all of this. Add the Haired giants and the Beast titan and it was the perfect recipe for a disaster of epic proportions where blame would be put on anyone not human. Eren still looked at them, with some odd expression of wide eyes as he looked at the three glaring at him. "I see... what do I know right? After all, I'm just someone from the walls. But you know what I do know? I know.. _that I have to kill all of you. You and every Titan out there, wiped clean from this world. Your not human,_ it was foolish of me to think that you were. _Your monsters._ "

James looked at him and spoke very clearly, making each hate filled word reached his ears clearly. "You keep saying that word, but are you so sure about that Eren? What makes us monsters to _you_ , _taking human lives?_ If that's what it is, then your just as bad if not _worse_ than Annie and Me.

You killed people in Stohess because of your shitty choice when I gave you two options to stay out of our way. And if so Bert's the worst then, because he did it directly on a large scale. Plus he and Reiner are worse than me and Annie _indirectly_ for letting the Titans in and claiming all of Wall Maria and Trost. Or is it because we turn into _Titans_? You can too, you have even less control and act more like a titan than me. _So what is it exactly that separates Us from You?_

 _We're all monsters,_ there i said it. Make ya feel better, satisfy you? It _shouldn't_ if it does, because I'm also talking about _Y_ _ou_. We're all equals in one way or another here, all apart of the same food chain in this world. Even you know that, you've seen that only the strong survive. And those people who tried killing me and Annie were just lower on it than we were. That's the way the world works. _Only way to live is to fight, remember?_ If that's what you believe in, then don't get mad when someone or something _bigger_ fights _better_ than _you do._ "

Eren replied back with a slight sneer in his voice, quickly saying what he thought of that logic. "Then don't get mad because _you_ lost to _Reiner_ years ago. By that fucked up reasoning of yours, your sisters death is on _You_."

The words draw a gasp from Annie and James, and even Reiner looks at him in shock. Bertoldt is speechless, but surprisingly it's Ymir who intervenes before James can fly into a rage and start trying to shift, which in an hour with his regeneration, might just be possible. "That's a _low blow_ Eren, even for me. How about you shut up and grow up? You think by killing any one of them that things will get _better_? You'd only be tying your own noose even further than it already is. Despite what they've done, and yeah I know what they've all done, _they_ _aren't the enemy_. Now _apologize_ for what you've said. All of it."

Eren looked at her in annoyance at her tone, but then demanded " _No_. They're not the enemy, then who is, huh? Tell me! Who's the real enemy if it isn't their murdering skins!?" She replied back without being fazed by his yelling, to her it was tiresome, annoying beyond belief to her already pissed mind. " _I said apologize. Now._ " Eren refuses once more before angrily sitting down at the tree trunk, avoiding them all despite being trapped.

"You know Eren, your _right_ with the very, very horrible thing you just said. Her death _is on Me,_ and do you know why? I didn't try to _kill_ Reiner all those years ago, because despite being a so-called monster, I wanted and tried to be _human_. That's what held me back from munching on his plated face in the first 5 minutes. The very thing you say none of us are, is what stopped me from winning. I never thought I would kill a human until I saved Sasha, and I never thought I would have to kill another shifter like myself until after my sister died. All because of my _human morality_. And do You know where it's gotten me my whole life?

 _Absolutely nowhere_ It took away the last of my family, so I abandoned it when I left the walls years ago. I don't care if _I'm not human enough to you,_ your only a devil to me. Your a _heartless_ _Demon_ , just like I said at the wall. _Go to the deepest hole and rot there Eren._ Don't ever come near me again, and I don't care who tries to protect you. Your bitch of a sister, Armin, I'll go _through_ them to kill you if you _ever speak to me like that again._ "

Eren stared at James threat with a matching glare, and once again Ymir spoke up. "Well, now that he's shutting up, we might actually get some answers. Hey Reiner, what's with _the monkey?_ You and Bertoldt seemed like you were ready to piss yourselves seeing it, and I saw James flying to attack it before he came to the tower. What is it?" Reiner tilted his head at her, before replying in an even voice.

"It's why we're here. That's the main threat out there, and now it seems like it's in here too. You know of the haired giants right?" He asked her, and she shook her head. He grimaced at having to explain the creatures responsible for so many deaths, for Connie's village, and who knows how many other settlements inside Rose. "Out there when we were abandoned 100 years ago, there was two kinds of Titans. The mindless and the Haired giants, the difference being that the haired giants _created_ the mindless Titans."

She nods her head before giving a look of slight interest, and even Eren gives an ear to listen as he avoids looking to them. "So why did you guys come here? Why kill so many?" Reiner looked troubled at revealing _It_ , and James could see why. If Eren learned of what he supposedly could do, they would be in _serious_ trouble. James was just as anxious that he would destroy the shifter village Annie and the other two came from, and James would lose his potential home. But James decided to gamble here, which was unlike him.

"It's because they need someone like Eren or me, someone who could do what the king did when he built the walls and left our people to die. But now seeing the Beast Titan in here pushes that down quite a bit on the possible solutions list. So know we _have_ to kill it, it'll just climb the wall like it did before. Still I'm wanting to go, though I'm not sure what _they want_ to do. It has to be killed either way, and I suppose I can try and make a wall to deal with the mindless and _Humans_. I'm not sure if I can do it, I still don't understand the ability. Which hopefully means _Eren can't,_ because that idiot's nothing but trouble. He _doesn't deserve it_."

He said the last few sentences to stir Eren up, and gives him a cold smirk as he turns to glare at James. "So, trying to save those who matter to them, and the rest of their kind. I see, but I'm not sure what I'm being taken along for." Ymir says, and James gave a glance at Bertoldt who turns away, knowing the reason why. It isn't exactly a friend thing to do, but he needs to take his mind off killing Eren and Reiner, and he was _the perfect distraction_. _'Sorry Bert, but think of it as payback_.'

He told Ymir with a small and somewhat evil smile on his face. "Well _that's_ simple Ymir. It's because _You_ _matter_ alot, to dear _Bert_."


	77. 77 Clash-Secrets

**Like I said, sorry Bert. Ah cliffhanger, but picks right up where I left off. As i've been asked before, Bert _does_ like Ymir, but we know who she likes, _Right_? Slight bit of romance and a cooler chapter here from all the arguing going on. But don't worry, the story will pick back up and go into episode 10 to 12. Then it's my own thing completely before we return to main story. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Secrets_

"What did you say?" Ymir asked James as her eyes widened at the odd statement, but he stayed silent as she then looked at Bertoldt, stunned at what she just heard.

Bertoldt looked at James in betrayel, which James did think was quite rich given their situation. Annie and Reiner then looked at Bert with anger clear in their eyes. "Bert, _do not_ tell me what I just think James said is _true_." Reiner growled out, and the smaller blonde next to him hisses at him "So _that's why_ you wanted her along, even after what she did?" Bertoldt was stressed as he looked to their faces, then to Ymir's shocked and waiting one, and finally to James.

Bert's eyes conveyed the silent hurt he was feeling at James _'What the hell!?'_ But James merely gave him another friendly grin like he did atop the wall, only this time it sent a shiver down his spine. _'What was he thinking?! Bringing that up at a time like this! Oh what do I do?'_ Bertoldt thinks, his thoughts growing more panicked as they all waited for answers. He looked at James once more before Bert saw him nod his head towards Ymir, that smile still on his face. He could almost hear the words James was trying to say ' _Go ahead Bert, tell her how ya feel. Now or never before we're all healed up and Round 3 starts.'_

Sighing, Bert began to think it over, and breathed deep to compose himself before addressing them all. "I'm not talking about this aloud to any of you. It's _my_ business, so for now I say we split up for a while. Annie can take James farther back and talk with him so he won't fight us. Reiner, you should stay here with Eren to keep an eye on him. I'll carry Ymir somewhere we can talk, _alone_." Immediately objections sprang up, two out of anger but one out of pure amusement.

" _Well done_ Bertie! Finally making a move! But I'm gonna have to disagree with ya on me not fighting. I have every intention of going back, but _I still have bones to pick."_

"Absolutly not, we're sticking together and talking about this as a _team_ Bert." Annie tells him and Reiner backs her up. "She's right, we have a right to know if your keeping secrets from the two of us." Bertoldt starts getting irritated at all of them and snaps, unusually angry at his teammates.

"So what if I'm keeping a secret to myself? It's my business and it's not hurting any of you or the mission. If I don't want to talk about it to you guys, I'm not going to. Annie you kept James secret from both of us till Trost, because you said it was in our best interest. And you Reiner, you didn't tell me your problem was getting worse like you said you would. You kept it hidden when I told you that I'd help in any way I could. I'm not doing anything different than she did, and you seemed fine with her once she explained herself. James that's enough, can't you just wait until we get to our home?" Not waiting for answers from any of them Bert took a deep breathe and declared.

"I'm saying this one last time, or else I'll just grab her and talk to her somewhere else without your guy's approval. _If I want to talk to her alone I'm going to dammit!"_ They looked at him in shock, he was always so quiet whenever they were around. _'Maybe it has to do with all the stress we're all giving each other.'_ Annie thinks to herself, looking around at all of their group while Reiner is still frustrated that his friend is really insisting on this. It seems they all apparently have kept things from each other in some way.

Annie kept James from them, and them from him. Bertoldt kept knowledge of Reiner's condition to himself, along with whatever feelings he harbors for Ymir. Reiner kept his worsening state from Annie completely and from Bert who knew something about it. She hadn't seen either of them since leaving for the Mps, until She and James saved them at Utgard from the Beast Titan. If things didn't settle down soon, this mission might be in more danger of failing than it already was. Annie cleared her head, declaring that they've come this far, this close to saving home. _'We're going home. I promised him and father that.'_

"Reiner as much as I don't like what he wants, Bertoldt's right. We're all under alot of stress, and if we don't resolve things now we risk failing to return and save home. Let Bert talk to her alone, and I'll take James and try to talk with him and calm him down." Annie tells Bertoldt and Reiner as she tries to sound as logical and problem solving as possible. He looks at her, ready to argue with her before she adds to him alone in a lower voice " _I'll try to see if I can get him to not want to kill you, he seems to be on better terms with Bert. While I know it's gonna take a helluva lot more convincing with you, it might be possible."_

Reiner stops to think it over, giving a look over at them all, including Eren who's still avoiding their eyes. But there's no doubt in Reiner's mind that he's listening, after all there was nothing else to do except heal while they all rest up. He knows that they'll have to be moving out soon, it's already been 3 hours since the battle at Rose. Sooner or later the scouts are going to come for them, even out here in Titan territory. It's better to have them all on board then possible fighting James and Eren again and delaying them further. He sighed as he turned to face Bertoldt again, still not liking it but accepting his idea.

"Fine Bert, we'll split for a while to cool down. You take Ymir up and Annie can take James somewhere, I'll stay and play babysitter with Eren. We only have maybe an hour, we need to go _soon_. That good with you two?" He asked Annie and Bert, and he was satisfied with their nods. As Reiner landed one branch away from Eren, Annie leapt down to where James was already standing ready to be picked up.

"I know I'm not exactly light but I'd really appreciate it if you didn't drop me. Afraid I ain't got much to grab with, but then again you have plenty to grab on to for me." He told her as he smirked and held up his half healed arms, which were nearly at the wrist. The last part made her blush slightly as she rolled her eyes at his antics. At least he wasn't super angry like he was before, but she still has to be wary. His regeneration was already at a better rate than Eren or Ymir's, who was sitting up as Bert landed in front of her and held out a hand. "Here, I'll help you up."

She just looked at the hand for a moment, and then to the tall boys face. It held no I'll intention in it, plus he didn't strike her as that sort of person. She grabbed onto it and he helped her onto his back, and she could tell he was already sweating more than usual. It made her smirk as he tried to hold onto her without trying to touch her, and she couldn't help but feel herself blushing slightly when his hand brushed over hers as he went faster. They rose together about 7 branches higher, out of earshot for anyone trying to listen in on their conversation. He set her down when she made to get off, and sat down next to her with his legs hanging off the edge.

She didn't stare at him, and nor did he at her, and the silence dragged on until Ymir broke it. "So...what did James mean about me mattering to You?" Bertoldt turned to look at her face, and for once found her devoid of sarcasm, anger, hell even the slight amount of pessimism she usually had about her. It was so serene and calm that it made him pause, before he swallowed and replied in a somewhat even voice. "Well..I suppose part of it has to do with what happened at Utgard. And the rest is..older."

She raised an eyebrow at that, asking him "What do you mean by _older_?" He started to really look nervous and downright gloomy to her, and he sighed. "I..sort of liked you, back in training. I m-mean, not that I don't now, it's just...I know you alot better now than I did then."

She processed that, oddly finding herself feeling _saddened_ by that. "So ever since you found out I ate your friend Marcel you-" but he interrupted her with wide eyes. "What? No! _I s-still like you even knowing you did that,_ but I know who you really like, who you want to be with. I thought I saw it back then but I wondered if over time that it might change. But after Utgard I saw how you and Historia were and..I knew it wasn't possible." he finished sadly as he looked down to the ground very far below them.

Ymir found herself pitying him, and asked "Even from back then you had feelings for Me? _Why_? I don't think I struck as your type." He smiled briefly before it disappeared again. "Well part of it was because your everything I'm not, at heart. Your confident, don't let anyone or anything affect what you want to do. You speak your mind even if it isn't welcome by anyone else, because it's usually the truth no one wants to hear. It also helps that your very pretty and one of the few not dwarfed by my giantness."

Ymir saw him finish that last part with reddened cheeks, and felt herself feeling happy to see she made him fluster like that. She tilted her head as she joined him in looked at the ground again. "Yeah, I guess I do run my mouth enough. But you're right about _why_ I do it, and I'm impressed that you noticed. You seem like a great guy, even with the things you've done. Personally it doesn't bother me alot because now I know _why_ , I guess it only affected me because I was there when it went down.

You'v got guts when you need to Bert, don't forget that. And I am sorry for putting you through this since training. If I had known then what you'd felt, things might've been different between us. Again, _I'm sorry_." Bert nodded without looking at her, and took another deep breathe.

"Yeah, I guess it's the way things are. Some things can't be changed, and I should've thought that before running my mouth. You don't need to be sorry, it's not like I wasn't prepared for it." He told her, and she shook her head at him.

"I feel like crap now because it reminds me of Mikasa and Eren, but you didn't know you saved me. I took away your friend because I was a _monster_."

"About that Ymir, I've been wondering. _How long where you a mindless Titan?"_


	78. 78 Clash-Devils and Goddesses

**Cliffhanger, hope the last chapter didn't feel forced between them, but I've never written for anyone outside of Annie. Picks right up where it left off and has a slightly feelsy origin for Ymir that tries to be canon style, but with a twist. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Devils_ _and Goddesses_

" _How long were you a mindless?"_ Bertoldt asked Ymir, and she felt uncomfortable.

"Figured that part out huh?" She asked him with a downcast face, and saw him nod. Ymir looked away and sighed heavily, almost like Bert did when he confessed himself to her just moments ago. "It's a long story, but your answer is 60 years." Bertoldt sat there wide eyed in horror, his jaw dropped as he repeated it in a whisper. " _60 years?_ You were stuck like that for 60 years? _How?_ " She actually laughed, but unlike the sarcastic or snarky laugh he was so used to hearing, this one was slightly _mad_. Almost as if it was horribly funny in some way to her that he wasn't seeing. Somehow it felt forced to him, it didn't meet her eyes at all. He's seen her laugh, and right now there was nothing in her eyes but _pain_.

"Like I said, it's a long story. But you do know where it ends, after all it involves you and the others coming to the walls. Are you sure you want to really hear it? Ymir asked him, raising an eyebrow when he slowly nodded. "As long as your comfortable telling me, I'll listen." He told her and Ymir held up a hand to her eyes, as if inspecting some small thing on her palm. "You know how life is inside the walls for people like us, always full of fear and hiding. About 65 years ago I was living on the streets in some town, I don't remember where. It was so long ago, but I know it wasn't a prosperous place. Homeless everywhere, and I had no parents. They'd died before I actually knew who they were."

Bertoldt put a hand on her shoulder in sympathy but took it off when he saw her eyes darken at something only she saw. She looked to him startled that he'd noticed and apologized for possibly scaring him. "Sorry, it's just...this next part is hard to talk about. It's _why_ I am who I am now." He nodded at her vague premonition and listened as she went on.

"One day a man came, looking through the children who also lived in the alleyway I called home. He saw my face and offered me a home, and all I could do was get pulled along. I was too weak, starving and I didn't fight it. He told me to think of it as the start of a brand new life, and that a brand new life needed a _new name._ I don't remember if I even had a name before the one he gave to me, but once he did I accepted it without question.

My new name was _Ymir_. It was one I'd never heard of before, and one I was told to keep quiet about, though I didn't understand why. But I just went along with it because I was told to. _That_ day, that was the first time I lied to myself, told myself that I had no say in the matter. That I never had a choice when I did. I remember him introducing me to all these people wearing the same style of robes, and I felt scared when they all looked at me with such devotion and _bowed_. To be fair, it wasnt all that bad. My food wasn't cold, I no longer slept in the dirt. Best of all, I knew what it meant to feel _needed._ For the first time in my life Iife _I actually meant something_ to someone else. That by far was more precious than anything. _Then one day..."_

Ymir flinches before she can finish her sentence, and Bertoldt goes to put his hand on her shoulder. He was successful this time when she didn't unintentionally scare him with a look of anger at something. " _Thank you_ , for that. As I was trying to say, one day a group of men came, and they seemed to be some sort of police. They began rounding up everyone at gunpoint, and the man who took me in began to shout about how I had deceived him and the rest. The next thing I knew, the rifles were pointed at _me_ , one even close enough for me to smell the barrel.

I was cruelly reminded that everything I clung to, _was an act_. The men asked me if it was true, and I never wanted to speak the truth so badly, but I saw the faces of those who had worshipped me. They were terrified of death, and... _I took pity on them._ Some hadn't spoken out against me like the man did, they still saw me as their goddess. I made my decision and declared myself by name, held my head up with pride. Lie once, the rest follow easy. If it saved their necks so be it, trouble was things _didn't quite work out that way."_ At this Ymir chuckled bitterly before going on as Bertoldt tensed beside her.

"We were bound and chained, led through the town as the citizens pelted my body with stones. My body was bruised, bleeding from all the cuts and gashes as we were led to our punishment. Me and everyone who had followed me were taken to the top of the wall and... _lined_ up to recieve our consequences. I saw one of the members, a woman who'd took extra care to make sure I was happy in my time there scream out for help. She called for my name, and I saw one of the men stick a needle into her neck before kicking her over the edge.

I watched her scream on the way down, and I saw her transform into a monster, followed shortly by the rest. Each one of them screaming out that they were decieved, calling for help or my name, and all I could do was watch as they became beasts. I cried and begged for the men to stop, that it wasn't right, that they had only thought of me as a goddess. What was the harm or crime in that? And when my turn came, the man sneered at me and said " _The harm is when people worship a goddess named after the Devil._ " I couldn't speak when he stabbed my neck with the same needle and kicked me in to join them."

Bertoldt listens in horrified silence to the inhumane things being described to him by the girl he cares for. As she stares out at the plains before her after she turned to face the other way, he sees a pair of tears threatening to break from her eyes. But before they can escape she closes and blinks them away. Her frame is visibly shaking, even if it isn't very hard. He reaches over to hold her, and she lets him do it without a complaint or look of hesitation. She takes a few deep breaths before he let's go, but still watches her steady herself.

"That's when I realized, _I'd had it coming all along_. I deceived those gullible bastards, but that wasn't what I was being punished for really. It was for decieving _myself_ into thinking someone needed me, that I mattered to anyone. But what else did I expect? That's what comes with looking at the world through a veil.

I don't have many memories of my time like that, but I did retain some of my senses. I remember running across the ground without stop, and finally finding a hole that I layed down in. I slept in a living nightmare, and the ground just kept rising around me, but I didn't care. I didn't want to be a monster, so I chose to stay asleep until I hopefully died. _I never wanted to do what the voice in my head kept telling me, to eat and eat_ _like nothing else mattered._ For so long I slept without anyone disturbing me,. until..." She hesitated to go on, and Bert knew what she was probably remembering now that she had been reliving it all, being told what she did when she attacked them unknowingly.

She layed back on the branch and all Bert could do was stare as her guilty face began to make a sad smile. She raised her hand to the sky, and Bert could see her staring at something in her memory, eyes glistening with pure joy. Though he was still hurt as Marcel's death replayed in his head, he couldn't help but be in a state of admiration seeing her in such a way. She went on with a somber tone, but he detected gratefullness woven through it.

"I don't remember what you guys say I did, and I am sorry for that. I remember waking up but falling back asleep soon after, not sure why I got up in the first place. Then I felt it again, the desire to wake up. But _this time, it felt_ _different._ When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was _freedom._ The first thing I thought was that if there was such a thing as fate, _she's a fickle little whore._ I saw that I'd been given a second chance, I'd escaped from that hell. And now I could see the stars again, _with my human eyes_. I laughed and cried as tears of joy and shock came from my eyes. I was so happy to _be free,_ and I felt terrible as I remembered how long I'd been like that.

Right then and there, I made a _vow_. _No more decieving myself, no more falling for my own line._ From then on, _I'd be real_. For years I tried to get back to being in my body again, and only once had I ever shifted back into my Titan form, on accident. I was terrified that I would be stuck in it again, and swore to never use it again. I was more scare of that than anything else I might face, but I still broke it. Both at Utgard and years ago in training, during the winter in the mountains. Do you remember that?"

Bert nodded as he recalled the harsh storm that struck the 104th during a training exercise in the snowy mountains. It wasn't one of those that weighed heavily on their futures, but still a test. He'd been ready to go out with Eren, Reiner, James and the rest when Ymir and Historia failed to return before the storm hit. He'd been very anxious when they still hadn't heard anything from them or Daz, who was in their group. When she finally showed up dragging the panicy cadet unconscious through the snow, Reiner had been on edge about Historia not being around.

Ymir had kept quiet and said they got separated, which bothered both him and Reiner at the time. Why would she be so calm about it all? Ymir told them she'd wait outside for her to show up, and the shifter pair had both been hesitant to just let it go. But a few hours later when the storm blew off, Historia had finally shown up. But despite being glad that Ymir was given her second chance at a life, her next words saddened him as he knew they would come sometime.

She smiled faintly as she told him "And that's when I found out about someone like myself, that's when I found out about _Her_."


	79. 79 Clash-Mirrored

**Okay hope the end of last chapter didn't feel out of place as Ymir's story shifts to her thoughts towards Historia, but it was gonna come some time or another for poor Bert. Next chapter will be more James and Annie during all this talking, and _that_ is going to be a bit tense given how things are. As usual drop a review, tell me your thoughts. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Mirrored_

At the word _Her_ Bertoldt knew who she was talking about, after all how could he not? He'd seen the interaction between the two, but there was always the question of _why_ that floated through his head. Since the very first night he noticed that Ymir had always hung close by the smaller blonde. Not even James and Annie or Connie and Sasha were like that when everyone first met in training. Granted both couples took to each other within a month or two, but they got to know each other first. _Why was Ymir caring for Historia as soon as they met?_ He was about to get his oldest question as Ymir began to speak.

"Shortly after I began to get a control on who I was, I began to make a nomadic life for myself. I stole from street vendors in order to eat, got tougher living on different streets than the ones I lived in as a child. And with my new strength and healing, I could do more without having to be so afraid of people coming for me. Well one day I'd been sneaking about in a wall cultist church shortly after one of their " _holy services"_ , and almost found a stash of food they kept when two of them came back in. I hid where I could under a desk, and had no choice but to stay quiet and listen to whatever they were talking about until I could make a run for it. What they discussed startled me and made me listen closer.

They spoke of a girl born from a royal family out of wedlock, apparently the noble had been having an affair with one of his maids, and so she was born. _However_ she wasn't welcome by any of the family, and was shunned away as a worker on the farm property the family owned. Shortly after Maria fell it was decided that she was to be sent off to the cadet corps, and given a fake name to keep the families secret. They'd been sending her off to die as a soldier, to erase the _stain_ as they called her. Daying it would've been better had she never been born. And then it began to feel so familiar to me.

She was someone who was hated before even being brought into the world, despised by her own blood for just _existing_. It reminded me how I was treated by those men who claimed I was the Devil herself, when I hadn't done anything to deserve it. So I decided to see if I could help someone who understood that feeling, and joined the same cadet corps she did. And on the first night, I saw her sneaking bread to bring to potatoe girl and followed to see what she was like, if she was worth saving. If she hadn't been corrupted and broken by the world yet, or if she struggled through it for herself or others. I didn't know I'd be meeting her and James in the middle of a fight for food, but I saw how she hugged him when he broke down at Sasha's questions."

At hearing James succumbing to the guilt he had then about his families deaths, Bertoldt looked down in shame. In reality James didn't need to feel that pain, after all it was himself and Reiner who caused those deaths, not him. When the pair first heard it a few weeks after the start of training, he and Reiner had alot of guilt knowing what they did to the guy. He'd always come off as real likable, even if he had a few quirks that defined who he was, _like hand to hand._

That day he Reiner and the rest watched James and Annie fight for the first time, he was shocked at how brutally they went at each other. How they seemed to be trying to prove themselves different from everyone else there, by showing they were fighters through and through. The way they traded blows and kicks without showing pain, even attempting to submit each other in the exact same move impressed them all. Bertold knew that James was different from the others from his mindset, the way he held himself and how he did so. He just never expected him to be a _shifter_ , much less _the_ one who fought Reiner years before.

It had been quite a shock for him and Reiner that day in Trost, shortly after shifting to save Annie. It brought the terrible inescapable truth that Reiner too faced, even if they got off from James death list, they still committed one of the greatest crimes. They'd both killed his family, who were shifters too. It meant that even if they got home or Annie convinced James to spare them, they will still be executed. But he kept that slim, _slim_ hope that it wouldn't happen, that it might be overlooked given the seriousness of their missions needs. After all, it wasn't like they were given a choice in the matter. It was this or complete extinction, and their race chose to survive. It's just the way the world worked, even if it wasn't very pleasant.

Ymir saw his downcast face and put a hand on _his shoulder_ this time. "Sorry about that, I know it isn't really something you want to hear. But you at least should know why I'm so... _fixated_ on her. I saw that she nourished herself on lies, she was someone desperately trying to convince herself that they were true. I got it, I sympathized so much that I knew I wanted to save her from it at all costs.

I'm not asking you to understand, but you deserve to know why, for waiting for so long when you shouldn't have. I'm sorry Bertoldt, but it's like you said. I do like you as a person, but it's just the way things are now. I might have put her in even more danger than she was with saving her in my Titan form. She took back her real name, but I'm scared about what her family might do once they or the wall cult finds out. I know that you and the others are heading home, and I would go if I didn't have to watch out for her."

The last little declaration makes Bertoldt pause as he realizes that Ymir might too be trying to escape, and she might ally herself with James in order to do it. He can't let that happen, if she goes back she'll get persecuted, and might give Eren the chance to flee. Or even worse James might kill Reiner and himself if Annie can't talk some sense into him. He would still travel to Eldia, but if he decides to take revenge on either of their families as well...

 _'What can I do? We can't be slowed down, the scouts could be regrouping as we speak. And we're still in Titan territory, we could get eaten by them or encounter the Beast Titan again._ _She's not leaving without-'_ And then it hits Bertoldt. She won't leave without Historia, so why not bring her with? He knew Reiner would possibly be for the plan given how he is around the blonde, and if Historia was brought with Ymir would be happy.

Turning to the girl he voiced his proposal aloud "Ymir...what if we brought her along? If we managed to take Historia back to our home village? Would you come with us then?" She turns to look at him, pondering his words for a moment. Bertoldt anxiously waits as the silence goes for a solid minute before she sighed. "It would certainly help make it easier, but how would any of us do it? You're too big to shift right now and escape, Reiners still recovering from James. Speaking of which He'll try to kill you two if Annie can't get through to him, which means she would have to defend you guys. We all know he won't fight her in that way, which means we have no way of getting her. It sounded good, but we're still just where we already were."

As the logic began playing in Bert's head, a risky _but_ definitely favorable option sprung up. "What if _You_ were to take her?" She looks at him surprised. " _Me?_ I'm not exactly an expert when it comes to this whole kidnapping thing from the other side Bert."

He pressed on though, not discouraged "But you have one of the fastest Titans out of us all. Only James or Annie could stop you, but they'll be too busy with me and Reiner. Plus James has nothing against you, and you know that he's protective of Historia in his own way. We know that from training, hell he would probably _help you_ if it weren't for us being here." Ymir thought of what the tall boy was saying, she _did know_ how he'd once acted in protecting the girl she cared for. Even after James told them what happened, Ymir still pressed Her for details with some care as to not traumatize her.

The words that She'd spoken stunned Ymir, especially with how he killed the last kidnapper. Ymir saw Historia's face when she described it in greater detail than he did, she had _fear_ written all over, even if she was grateful for being saved. It was then that Ymir knew she wouldn't get between James and those he cared about, but she also had the same sense because she thought she was the only shifter among them. Knowing what he was now could be either good or bad for her, but if he could be persuaded to hold off his revenge, _she could possibly do it._ The only thing was that Ymir had no clue where they were, if the were even inside Wall Maria anymore.

"As much as I would like to try, we would risk all getting caught by the scouts in order to grab her, and I'd end up just staying with them. I'm sorry Bert but we still don't even know where they are. If things change, I'll consider your idea. But till then I'm still set on going back to her. That's my best offer." Ymir told him, and though he was annoyed at the sound logic of her statement, he just wanted something to go right for once.

"Damn, your _right_. We don't know, and that's the only thing holding you back, right?" He asked, and only recieved a firm nod as an answer. Bert tries to think hard for a possible solution, anything that could convince her to come willingly, a way to get Historia. And finally, it hits him. Probably the craziest idea he's ever had in his life, especially how things are at the moment. He actually _laughs_ out loud at the whole idea, how ridiculous it is, and yet really his only hope for Ymir to come with.

Ymir looks to the lanky shifter in utter blankness, thinking to herself _'What the hell? He goes from despressed and accepting to laughing? Maybe he is a bit loony in the head_.' Bert notices Ymir's questioning face for a moment before he turns and tells to her confused face. "I have the perfect idea, but thinnest of hopes that it'll happen." She raised an eyebrow as he tells her.

"I'm gonna have to convince _James_ to kidnap Historia, and spare us by coming with."


	80. 80 Clash-Working Things Out

**Okay, a James and Annie centered chapter or two of just them during all of the last 3 chapters talks. I was going over my older chapters, and I realized how far I've come with this story. My original run for this was 60 to 80 chapters total, but given how things are, I think it's going to be leaning more towards 140 or 160 total chapters with everything I want to cover. After all we still have the Eldia Arc and the Return Arc to cover before the end of the story starts to come into view. And as for the ending, I'm playing with the idea of having 2 different ones aside from the epilogue, unique in both their own ways. Whichever you want to get yours will ultimately be your choice. But I'll hear from you all hopefully when that time comes. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Working Things Out_

Elsewhere away from the two dark haired shifters, another pair was landing at their chosen spot to talk things through. As Annie let James off of her, she felt his weight relive itself from her smaller frame. Granted she was quite strong for her size, but James was a beast in his own way to carry, being so fit but _heavy_.

It was no wonder he could pick Reiner or easily out muscle Ackerman when it came to it. He in turn made sure she was steady after him being on her back for a few minutes. "Are you alright? I know I'm not exactly a featherweight, but I hope I didn't crush you too bad." he addressed, holding her in a half hug as she still was catching her breath.

Annie replied to his concern with a light jest, though the timing may have been off. Then again he made an innuendo just before they all split, about holding her _full_ _figure_ without quite saying it so boldly. "Wouldn't be the first time I've had you on top of me, _right James_?" At her own joke he barked a short laugh as they both sat near each other, trying to relieve the stress they were under.

"That's the spirit, but if your hurting, tell me. I'm sorry if I bruised you somehow." James told her, his voice again growing concerned at the end. She actually rolled her eyes and chuckled. "After 3 years of knocking each other to the dirt, fighting without holding back, and even hand to hand with Titans, you think _that_ would hurt me? I appreciate the concern but c'mon James. I'm not a frail maiden to you, now am I?"

He raised an eyebrow at her as he smirked "Nope, never said you were. Told you that back in Stohess, remember? You just like messing with me, don't you?" He jabbed back lightly. She smiled briefly before finding a place to sit down, and James too sat next to her near the trunk of the tree. Annie started to look tense again, though she tries not to show it to him. But he still has the gift of seeing through people, and animals too because of their body language, facial expressions, etc.

He knew full well what the purpose of this little break was, aside from Bert talking with Ymir. Annie was going to try in vain to talk him out of his revenge on Reiner and Bertoldt, but even she must know it's a lost cause. He certainly still has the hate and pain in the back of his mind, but right now he's able to unwind being away from them. Maybe this was what it would feel like once they were no longer among them, _the living._ And he's proven right as she speaks first.

"So how are you feeling?"

He tilted his head a bit at her, replying. "Better, arms still aren't back to full, but I'm doing better." he says her, not telling what he's _also_ feeling elsewhere in his head. She sighed "Well that's something, again I'm sorry for tearing them off when we left. I didn't mean to-" but he cuts her off with a light reassurance. "Don't worry, it was quite a light show when it went down. I don't blame you for doing the best with what you had to work with. I just wish it would've been a few moments _later_."

Annie grimaced a bit at what he was referring to, and knew she has her work cut out for her. "James can't you try to move on from it? I know you hate them for what they've done, but you must see what it's done to them. They didn't want this, none of us did. If you can forgive me, can't you try to at least accept them?" He doesn't respond, merely looking at his steaming stumps. They were nearing his hands, his knuckles were starting to form slowly.

"I told you that I forgave you because I understood you. I love you in a way that I would kill anyone who tried to harm or take you away from me. And yet I _understand them,_ but I don't have anything to make me not kill them. At most they were my brothers, which makes it worse turning out to be who they are. They betrayed me, it would've been easier if we never got this close, I could just kill them. I'm sorry Ann, but I don't think it's going to change. I said that as well in the forest, as you well remember." James tells her, but she thinks she can hear a sign of resignation in his voice.

"And what about Bertoldt? You yourself said that he was less hard to look at, that he's trying to redeem himself because of what he did. Don't you sit there and tell me you didnt say it, you know it's true." James tone grew a little more frustrated as he snaps back lightly at her.

"And? I also said I still hated him and Reiner. That split bastard had the gall to say that _it had to be done._ If he's _that_ guilty over it, maybe he should've thought twice about saying those words. I'm taking his head, and if Bert happens to be around when I do, _I'll take his too."_

"Dammit James you need to stop this. If you keep getting caught in your revenge it's gonna consume you! I don't want that to happen to you! Have you really thought about what will happen if you actually do it? If you kill them? _You'll die_ , and I don't want to lose you because you couldn't let a grudge go!" He narrowed his eyes at her outburst, at a particular set of words that stood out.

"And how would _I die_? Reiner was almost killed by _Eren_ and he's a weakling compared to either of us. I was holding back then because I didn't want to kill one of my own kind. But that's out the window for what he did to me, I swore vengance on him that day. And I _almost_ took his head until _you and Bertoldt_ decided to crash and ruin it. Plus I don't think Bert's going to be a problem either, after all he's letting his emotions guide his actions. I can tell, and even if he does shift I can still fly and tear his nape out. He's too slow to catch me, and that's if he has _the nerve to do it._ After all I need to go back and save your guys village right? Especially since Eren's being so uncooperative, _none of you have a choice._ "

He hissed out the last part low at her, knowing he had her in a corner. From the defeated look on her face she knew it as well, but she wasn't giving in just yet. It made her both admirable and difficult in his eyes. _'Why can't she just accept it? I don't want to fight or dicuss it, it's going to happen. There's nothing she can say-'_

"If you kill them you lose any right to come to our village James. You lose your new home among your kind." Annie told him, her eyes hurt from his defiance of her, and pulling her last card on him. His eyes widened in brief shock before narrowing again.

" _Why would I be killed, why wouldn't I be welcomed?_ " He asks her, wondering if she's lying to him. But his mind goes into overdrive as he takes in her body and facial expressions, _'Shes telling the truth'._ He realizes, a sense of fear creeping up his spine.

"Because when the Beast Titan first came and attacked, our kind all united under an oath to protect each other. It's one of our highest laws to _never_ kill another shifter, the price is _execution_. I don't want that to happen, so _you_ _can't kill either of them, please."_ Annie tells him, begging while holding the front of his shirt hard. He knows she's telling the truth, and he _hates that_ , for once. His eyes twitch as he looks away from her, his thoughts in an angered chaos.

 _'Why, why, why, WHY is the world so set on making things more and more difficult for me!?!_ _I can't complete my mission because it's all for nothing. I can't be around normal people without being feared because of what I am. I can't save or protect my family because they're already gone. I can't keep my promises to anyone because of the way things are. I can't take revenge for my sister, and if I do I'll get killed by my own race!? Why the hell does everything and everyone seem to hate me so goddamn much? What did I do to deserve this? Why do I have such **bad luck?**_ '

His thoughts turn to Annie as he sees her face, to Sasha, and how thinks of how broken both of them would be if he were killed over something that could've be avoided. The biggest problem is that James doesn't _want_ to avoid it, he wants to tackle and face it like he does anything. ' _There has to be a way for me to do it, there has to be-'_ when a thought crossed his mind. He turns to her and asks in a neutral voice to not give away his deeper workings going on inside.

"So if a shifter kills another shifter, they will be killed? There's no exceptions of any kind? What if one were to go rogue, would it be justified and the shifter be left alive?" Annie looks at him, trying to see what he's getting at, but still answers.

"Yes there is _one_ exception. The only time it would be acceptable was if another shifter were to declare themselves an enemy to another shifter, or to our kind. And Reiner and Bertoldt sure as hell aren't trying to do that, they want to go home. They're just as set as I am in saving our race and freeing the wall people too." This last fact surprises him, bringing her to his full attention.

"What? Why do they want to help those in the walls? Except for our friends, they _hate_ our kind remember? Why help them after easily wiping so many of them out?" Annie looks away from him, ashamed. But James doesn't see why, honestly it's bothering him _. 'Why_ _They had no trouble doing it the first time, and didn't seem to have trouble doing it again in Trost. So what's the holdup now? Am I really that important to them that they'll stop their attacks, since they have me and Eren? Or is it something more perhaps? Guilt?'_

H gets his answer as a few tears leak from Annie's eyes. She turns to face him, trying to keep herself together as she tells him the vow she and her fellow warriors made at Trost during the invasion, and the pyre.

"Because we never wanted to hurt them, we all want to repent for our sins. We want to redeem ourselvesJames. Me, Reiner and _especially_ Bert, we don't _want to be monsters."_


	81. 81 Clash-Monsters and Angels

**Okay I know there was a delay with my last chapter but it was just so I could pump out a chapter for both of my other stories. So now we have the dilemma of James mind here. Kill Reiner and Bert and avenge his family only to be persecuted and killed. Or let them _live_ and get a new home, but _they_ both get to see another day which shows to himself that he's failed yet again. EverydayWeaboo thanks for the congrats, hope to see your thoughts on future chapters, _especially_ when things start to get intense. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Monsters and Angels_

"So those are my options, let them live or die? Have a new home among my own or be killed for avenging my family? I'm screwed either way Annie, you know that." James tells her, still frustrated about what he can it _should do._

"I know that James, but it's whats our situation is. Once you go down this path, you can't turn back. _Please just try to let it go."_ Annie pleads with him yet again, but she sees him scowl as he turns to stare at the ground deep in thought. He has to make a hard but simple choice here, one that seals or destroys his future. It's so painfully simple that he can't see what's holding him back.

On one hand he has the potential for an actual home, where _supposedly_ the trio wants to use him to help them before they try to help the wall people. On the other hand he's more than willing to take revenge against Reiner at the very least, and avenge his sister. Bertoldt is more of a grey area to him when he should've just been in the black to his white. The reason he's crossed and murky is because of his words to James earlier. Bertoldt _accepts_ what he is, _hates himself_ , and _acknowledges_ that he should die for what he's done to not only him but the wall people and their friends. That's what's not making James be so focused on him, because it's _honorable_ in a twisted way.

 _Reiner's words however_ pushed him through a one way door onto the black because of those very, _very_ poor words he said to James. " _It had to be done."_ If his guilt was enough to create a whole other _personality_ for the bastard to escape into, then why wasn't it enough to know what he should and shouldn't say? Reiner's keeping the most level of a head out of the 3, which is ironic considering what his mental state, or _states_ are. James can see that he's remorseful to _some degree,_ but the anger at his former friend stays like a hornet in his head. The stinger keeps jabbing, replaying thoughts that would've stopped if they were more like a bee after the first time crossing his mind. _He wants to kill him,_ but simply and brutally put, he _shouldn't_ and can't.

What _does_ puzzle his mind is why Annie's so broken up over this, after all James had reassured her that she was fine to him. She was forgiven, she was understood, and told that she was still not a bad person to him. The meaning behind what she'd insisted about so long ago when they first got to know each other started to become clear. Did she really shoulder so much blame because she had brought them to the walls? She hadn't actually attacked him or anyone, even on the expedition. Come to think of it, the only time she took human life was in self defense, just like him. She never attacked first, though the move to drive the Titans towards the veterans was met by both understanding and annoyance by him.

True she did kill those scouts in the village after he began to not care, but she had been more giving of mercy than he'd been _during_ _and after_ the expedition. He killed about 2 dozen alone in the forest of giant trees, and half of his squad when they turned on him. Stohess had hardened James further, it's why he was more than ready to fight against the scouts at Utgard. Eren and Mikasa's attitudes hadn't been a great motivation for him to be so _civilized_ around people he can call his enemies, even if it isn't full time.

 _But_ there were those who stood out, Hange, Connie, Sasha and possibly Historia as well. Maybe even a few scattered others, but he has no idea of _any_ of their fates, if they are alive to tell his tale. If not his whole justification will have been for nothing, wasted time trying to convince the people he cared about that _he wasn't a monster_. It was funny that only a few hours later he'd accepted and called himself one because of Eren's piss poor attitude. So what is James now, a monster or something else?

Speaking of Eren, what is he going to be used for? Bait to distract the scouts? James hardly thinks it'll happen, though Eren is becoming more and more of a liability from his earlier declarations about them all. James could care less about what happens to him now, they didn't _need_ him if He himself was willing. He had the power and wanted to go to this village, but his vengance us what is delaying them all.

If James wanted he could shift within the hour and fly to the village, possibly cutting the time in half. They'd said it took them 4 days of sparingly using their Titans, but James knew what his limits were, he's pushed them before unintentionally. The longest he's stayed in one form was a solid week, but he'd began infusing with his Titan because of not being under control. He'd just been driven by pure instinct, the need to kill, and the need to avenge his family. But now with his family's killers so close, he would have to have absolute control over his shift in order to use it that long.

Then there was the matter of Ymir too, she didn't seem intent on going with unless her favorite blonde was coming with. _'U_ _nless dear Bert's managed to gain affections strong enough for her to leave the walls entirely and tag along. I doubt it, but we'll find out in a bit now won't we?'_ He thought to himself as he counted how much time was left for their little breaks. Reiner said barely an hour, and it took maybe 6 minutes to find a spot far enough to talk.

The talking itself was more or less a good 10 minutes, and his current mental debate was going on 6.5 no, _6.7_ minutes now as he kept calculating. If he made a decsion now he would still have alot of alone time, maybe enough to clear his head or create a plan of what to do next. How would he spend the rest of the time? Talking with Annie and maybe learning about this new home he was set on reaching? _'Perhaps, though I do also need to keep an eye on those Titans below us. Their not sitting right for me, something's up. I can **feel** it._ ' He mused as again took a look down to the ground.

Below him were a few of the Titans from before, it seems that they were followed either by hunger or being ordered to by something else. Neither option sounded promising, but he would rather it be the first. Before they left, he would definitely have to kill them. If they possessed some sort of low intelligence, then they might've heard everything he and the others had been speaking about since he woke up..and possibly _before_ that as well. It didn't sit well with him, these Titans were _too_ complacent. He watches as the large one who was staring at the sky again lay there with the smaller on on it's belly, and growled a little at it. _'Stop staring at me like that, or else I'll tear your eyes out before I tear your nape.'_

He was brought out of his thoughts when Annie gently asked him "So what's it going to be James? We need to move soon, you know that. If we get caught by the scouts again or the Beast Titan we _will_ have to fight. None of us are gonna hurt our friends, but not everyone's going to listen to our side of things when they locate us. Please James, _I need to know._ " He looks at her again and saw that her face was so stressed, over all of this, over _Him_.

It bothers him, she shouldn't be this way, she should be wanting to take him home with her, being free, enjoying the feeling of not having to hide anymore. That's what _he wanted,_ aside from a new home. But even if Annie's village didn't exist and she were just a shifter like him, he would've left with her for a nice quiet life somewhere. Inside the walls or outside of them didn't really matter unless she wanted to be near people, which he would oblige if it made her happy. If she wanted to just be with him once all of this is over, he would gladly take it. But first he has to make his choice, right here and right now.

He looks away again fo a moment, and Annie can see defeat and resignation in his eyes. Her hopes stay the same however, because eif there's anything she's truly learned about life is to never assume things. You have to be absolutely sure, otherwise things can end in disaster. She notes that his breathing is calm, more even. His eyes and hands aren't twitching with hidden anger, and he's giving off an aura of sadness. She tries not feel anything from it, knowing what needs to be done, even if it is one of the hardest things she can ask of him. _'Please, just spare them and come home with me.'_

James finally turns to face her again, and though his eyes still have a dull sense of frustration and hate in them, she sees the winning sign of acceptance in them. "Annie...I want it to be known that even though I'm choosing this, I still hate Reiner. I'm not going to kill him only because it'll take me away from a home with you, with just us. But at least promise me this, when we leave...we have to visit Shinganshina."

The request takes Annie from her relief of hearing James say that he won't kill Reine ror Bertoldt. But she was also confused by his other words, of _"..Just us."_ Did that mean he still wanted to live with her, or possibly just the two of them in their own home? ' _F_ _ocus_ _Annie, our issues after his.'_

"What do you mean James? I know the place is...apart of you, but why do you want to go there?"

He stares for a good 10 seconds before replying in a hollow voice "Because just like you three don't want to be monsters, I want to visit my family. Whats wrong with that? One last time, I visit my old home before I go to my new one. There's some things, I _have to do there, that I have to say._ Can you promise me that Annie? It doesn't have to be all of us, but I at least want _you_ to see and understand why."

Annie stares at his pleading face, and knows he's being completely sincere with his request. She pitys him, and soothingly tells him "Of course James, we can go there. I promise." He smiles a little at her answer, and tells her "Thank you. And know that this is all done with, since we have time, can we just talk?"

Her soft nod makes him smile a little, and they both sit closer to one another.


	82. 82 Clash-Little Talks

**Okay I'm back, finally getting some resolution with James accepting what had to be in order to live. From the title of this chapter, I'm recommending you readers listen to "Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men, I've always felt partial to the song. Another one that fits the mood is the second half of "Hearing the heartbeat" which is the song played in the beginning of episode 7 of season 2, _Close Combat._ More mellow and less stressful chapter here, possibly one of my most positive ones since the second to last chapter of the training arc. Don't worry things will pick back up next chapter, as they do still need to get out of the walls first. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Little Talks_

"What's it like Annie, back in your village?"

James asked Annie, and was glad that things could go a little more smoothly since he agreed to spare her fellow warriors. She too was relaxing at the thought of putting it behind them, even if in awhile they will be facing each other once more. She smiled briefly as she began to recall what home looked like, after all it's been 5 years since she's seen it. Then it starts to fade as she begins to worry whether or not it's still there, if they took too long finding the Coordinate. Because if so, then everything, all the death they caused, _will be for nothing_.

Her thoughts get fearful, not only of losing her father, but of maybe losing James as well. ' _How_ _will he react if there's nothing there? There'll be nothing holding him back, he **will** kill them, and then where do he and I go? And that's if he still wants to be with me after all of it..'_

"Hey you ok? Something wrong?" he asked concerned, which brought her from her darker thoughts and fears. She shook her head and closed her eyes as she tries to stay more optimistic. She tried bringing a smile back to her face as she tells him.

"I'm just thinking about some things we can talk about another time. It's been so long since I've seen it, but I do remember what it looks like." He sits up more and looks at her with anxious eyes, waiting for knowledge with a bit of hope in his gaze.

"Our hometown sits between a cluster of widespread mountains, but they create something like a bowl shaped valley. There's a few different regions in the valley than what your used to, and the area is quite large. We have some more... _lush_ forests than what you lived in inside the walls, or even just outside them. How far did you go outside of Maria after...well _you know."_

James gave a thoughtful look as he tilted his head, thinking back to his time in complete isolation. _'How far was I out there? I could still see the wall but I know I was probably nowhere near her village. I never saw any mountains out there, of what kind of regions does she mean?'_ He decided to voice his question after he answered her as best he could.

"I wasn't too far from Wall Maria, but I know I never was close to any mountains out there. I am curious about these other areas and forests you speak of, what are they like?" She gave a small smile as her memories began to come back, and goes on. "Well the trees there are more green, some of them have vines for one thing, and stand taller than any forest aside from the forest of giant trees. They barely stand higher than your Titan form, but the air is different too. I know your gonna like it, because it rains more in that part of the valley. There's more variety of animals there as well, but quite a few are predators I'm sure even you might find challenging."

James gave a grin at the mention of a challenge, especially one involving hunting. She saw the fire in his eyes, just like the first time they actually talked to each other. "Is that so? Well I guess I have something extra to look forward to when we find a place for a home."

She feels warmer at his words, but paused. She replayed the last words _'For a home?" Twice now he's said that, but what does she mean by it exactly? Is he thinking of-'_ Her eyes widen as he looks at her in confusion, not seeing the reason behind her expression.

"Hey James...you said that before, _about a new home._ I know you want to be with our kind but, you never said if you had other family anywhere who are alive, shifters. Are you...thinking of living with me and my father?"

He gives her a surprised look, but he smoothly tries to say what he means. "Well, I know that you Reiner and Bert are definitely returning to your families, but no, I don't have anyone else except our friends. _They're my_ _family_ and since their staying behind the walls till you guys try this freeing them thing, I really have no one to go to. And I don't want to seem like an intrusion in any of your guys homes, because I know you haven't seen your dad for what, 5 years now?" She nods her head as she began to realize just how long she been away, how long they've _all_ been away. ' _5 years'_. He continues and tries to sound like he's trying to persuade her into something.

"Like I said you've all been away, and I don't want to get in the way of being with your families, and yes _that means Reiner too_. Doesn't mean that I forgive him, but I won't harm him or his family. I don't hurt innocent people, only those who attack me first, you know that. I don't know who he's fighting for, but if he thinks they were really worth all of this... _I can understand._ But enough about him, this is about _us._ " She waited on with perceptive eyes, trying to get a read on what he might be struggling to say.

"What I'm _trying_ to say is once you get reunited, I'm going to feel like I don't exactly belong, considering who I am and what I've done till now. So I was thinking... _maybe_ you and I could live in your hometown _together._ As in just the two of us in our own home. _I-It was just something I was thinking,_ if you were willing to try that. _But I'm not telling you to, it's your choice whether you want to or not. I don't want to feel like your forced or anything."_ He nervously told her the last part, which caught her eye because he _never_ seemed nervous since they finally got together years ago.

Annie sits there with a stunned expression. While she had thought about _that_ a few times long ago, it hadn't seemed possible to her. During their training days she'd always had a sense of fear for them no matter how happy he made her. She'd always been afraid of losing him because of her mission and who she was, but over time he'd began to change her views a bit on the matter. The night before Trost happened she suspected his inner morals regarding doing the right thing when the time came for it were quite grey. After Trost she saw the rapidly crumbling duty to protect humanity fall away like discarded gear or clothing that got in the way. _He_ _changed_.

The biggest change happened on the expedition when he'd confronted her, but she has been too shocked and scared of him as he slaughtered two dozen scouts when he escaped his trap. It was then that she knew he'd snapped, that he made up his mind, _that things changed_. Just like he'd told Jean the night of graduation, _everything_ _changes._ He was done with what he'd sworn to do, because up to that point he'd felt betrayed on the highest of levels.

Stohess was almost as scary when he came to her when the others had her leading her into the stairs. His laugh had scared her and everyone else who was watching them, his contempt for those whom he deemed ignorant because they feared him without _knowing him._ The way he said he was betrayed by humanity, and was merely repaying the act with his own separation. The berserk mode he unleashed upon Eren, declaring he would destroy the world if she died. The need to find and protect everyone he cared about when they escaped afterwards.

All massive changes in him, but yet one thing had always stayed constant, even when she revealed more unpleasant truths to him about two of his friends. Even now it was showing, _and it was the dedication and love that he held for her._

Throughout everything they encountered since meeting each other, he never wavered in caring for her. And Annie could sit there with a rising swell of pride to say that neither had she, even through his anger or his pain inside, they still loved each other as strongly when they became a couple. And like then when they first met, she had to make a choice. Only this time, there wasn't a hard one to make.

There was no downside either way, only a future with him one way or the other. Annie smiled as she teared up a little outwardly, though inside she was praising that for the first time, _she was free to make her own choice_ without anything weighing on her mind. As she stared at his face, she smiled wider to his growing eyes. _'Could it be..'_ James thought as he saw her face, crying but not in sadness, but _happiness_. He wanted to ask her if she were alright when she spoke.

"James, I know it's a big thing for you to ask, but that idea sounds lovely to me. I respect that you don't want to be a burden, even though to me and I'm pretty sure my gather as well _you wouldn't be_. If you really want it to be the two of us in our own home, I would be more than happy to stay there with you. But can you at least give my father a chance to see how you are? I know he'd at the very least want to meet you before I left his home, and I would like you to stay with us in our cabin for awhile."

His face was hesitant, and Annie was reminded of what he said when Sasha's father offered him a home. He'd been reluctant then as well to accept such kindness, believing himself to be an intruder of sorts when he shouldn't think such thoughts, not now. She soothes James anxiousness by telling him "James _it'll be fine, I promise_. _Your not an intruder,_ your not a _burden_ , your just James. Your the same boy I fell in love with during training, and my father will see that. _Please_ , at least give it a chance."

He looked at her, searching for anything being hidden, and saw nothing. She was right, he does have a home even if it isn't so great like she says. He does want to meet her father, that much he knew. He looked at her and gave nod to let her know what he's decided. "Alright Annie, I'll give it a try. But if it doesn't work out, will you still live with me?" He asks, and was relived to see her nod. He calculated the time left and made to stand, and Annie rose as well. "Thank you Annie. Our times up, let's get back with the rest." He told her and as she nodded, a sour thought came to mind.

He grimaced. _'Great, what the hell do we do about Eren?'_


	83. 83 Clash-Titan Bait

**Okay I'm back! Hope the last chapter wasn't too mushy or fast paced between the two, but I did want a more light hearted one for them. They've been facing alot of downhill shit since Trost happened, from Betrayels to fights among friends. They needed a break, and I thought of it being like the way things were for them on the winter survival test. New chapter for Awakening coming soon as I've been going over chapter 97, and by God _it's_ _about to_ _GO DOWN_ (hopefully) next month. Btw this Arc is now my longest, passing both the Training, Trost and Aftermath arcs by a lot. We also have quite a ways to cover before we hit the Eldia Arc, so buckle up. As usual drop a review, I honestly live for them. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Titan Bait_

As Bertoldt and Ymir rejoined Reiner and Eren, who seemed to be just as stubborn as before, the warrior pair watched Annie and James return in quite a contrast to how they been when they all split up. Reiner and Bert were a little anxious seeing James using his own gear, they'd been counting on his regeneration being as slow as Erens or Ymir's.

To their wary and uneasy surprise they saw both of his arms were fully grown, but his mood seemed different. _'Could Annie really have gotten through to him?'_ Their thoughts and Ymir's as well all mirrored each other as he made no move to transform or yell at the people he rightfully held responsible for his family's deaths. But he didn't look that way now.

Jame's merely looked annoyed, not bloodthirsty like he was since waking up an hour ago from his fight with Reiner and Eren. Eren managed to turn around and glare at him, his face as defiant as it had been at Utgard, pissed that he was still healing. Stepping forward James crossed his hands for a moment and addressed the pair who were listening most.

"I've decided that I'm heading to your village, like I said I would. I also now know of your highest law, and the price to pay if I break it. Let it be known that while I understand your mission and the reason behind it, _That law_ is what's keeping you alive. But that doesn't change my views, I still don't forgive either of you. I don't think that I ever will, but there can at least be a sort of peace between us unless one of you were to break it and declare yourself an enemy to me. Then I'd be in my every right as a shifter to kill you. Now while that offer is _tempting,_ I know it's not going to happen. After all you have families to go back to, right Bertoldt? That's what you meant when you said to me about doing whatever it takes to protect them?"

Bertoldt looks a bit shocked at being addressed, but still recovers and calls back to him a branch or two further ahead. "That's right James, what we did was to save our families, as well as our people. I'm sure Annie's said this, but if there were another way of doing it, we would've taken it instead. There's no more reason to harm anyone in the walls since your coming back, and we already had heavy reluctance to do it both times, especially the second. Like I said before, I know it probably doesn't mean much, but I'm sorry James." He bowed his head solemnly at the boy and Reiner looks at him, looking for his reaction.

James isn't murderous, but there's instead a look of fiery resignation, similar to what he showed in Trost when Eren was saved by Pixis from his execution. He knows what the truth is, and while Reiner is grateful that the law is protecting him, he knows he deserves a painful death for what he's done. For breaking the gate, letting so many Titans inside Maria, killing James sister, it's all on him. But he also wants to try and redeem himself for his sins, just like he declared to Annie and Bert in Trost. And knowing they felt the same way, Reiner was glad James at least understood them.

He can't die before he helps his friends in the walls, by telling them the truth that they've been living like cattle because of _lies_. That they suffered for so long because their higher ups kept information from them about the outside world that could've prevented the necassary evil of the attacks. He decided to speak up to James, wanting to see just how understanding he was. "Hey James listen, about what I said before-" but James cut him off with a grimace and mild tone.

"I know what your going to say, save it for now. Maybe when we get outside the walls, I'll be waiting to hear it. But for now just keep it to yourself, we have things that we have to deal with right now." Reiner gave a slightly sour face at being told off, but he respects the way it was done. Jame's hadn't yelled nor had he cursed Reiner for attempting to reconcile with him. He just took his mind from it by focusing on their current situation, and Reiner can admire him for. It's one of the reasons they'd all said he was a great leader back in their training days, but he would always insist there were other better suited for it. Reiner nodded at him before Ymir spoke up.

"What things are we talking about James?" She asked him with a raised brow, wondering if it had anything to do with her. And she was partially right when he faced her and addressed her question directly but out loud.

"Funny you should ask, cause your involved. The four of us are all heading to the same place, which leaves you and Eren in a conundrum. I already know what his thoughts are, so I'm not gonna bother asking him again. Nor do I think it would be safe to take him with, because he's still ignorant and therefore dangerous. But you always have your head in the right place, so I want to know what you want to do. Are you coming with us? Or are you wanting to head back to the walls?"

Ymir paused as she pondered his question, and she knew Bert would be watching her even more than the others. Eren would get pissed if she decided to leave for their village, but she doesn't care what he thinks in the least. She's just stating facts here, and knows that she isn't on good terms with Annie and Reiner. _But_ they do seem to be giving her less dirty looks than she last saw them. About the only person here who had nothing against her aside from Bert because of how he feels, _is_ James. He did obey her when she told him to save Historia instead of her, and he seemed to be curious about what she wants. She speaks up to answer him in a neutral voice.

"Not so sure what to pick, there's alot to consider here. Besides it's not like I have much choice now do I?" James looked surprised at that, which made Ymir pause as he spoke back. "You _do_ have a choice to make here Ymir, but it's entirely yours to make. It doesn't really matter which you choose, but I'd at least consider both of your options. I'm not against either, but personally I think you'd be better off with us. I know that Bert would think the same as well."

At the boy's name she looked over to see him turn away for her gaze, not wanting his desperation to be seen by her. He already had a hard enough time confessing to her, he doesn't want to seem even weaker in front of her. She pities him for doing so, knowing it's probably his lack of conviction going on in his mind. ' _He has the guts when he needs them, but was the reason he wasn't showing them now a sign that he doesn't want to influence me? Surely he still feels something from the way he spoke during our talk, but is he really willing to let me go shouldyy6 I wish?'_ He was giving her that freedom of choice, which did send a wave of gratitude through her for his actions.

"I've considered that, but there are also reasons to stay back." She told him, and James tilted his head the same time Bert looked back to her, apparently in defeat. He knew what she meant. What she wasn't ready for was _so did James._

"You mean Historia." James said as Ymir narrowed her eyes at him figuring it out that fast. It wasn't asked like a question, it was stated like a fact. He was quick witted she'd give him that, but then again he always seemed to know what was going on with people. She noticed that back in her training days, it actually interested her from a strategic standpoint. She wanted to know what he was thinking, so she nodded firmly to gauge his reaction. His face actually looked sympathetic, which told her she didn't really have a choice, did she?

"I know that's alot to think about Ymir, but you have to know by now that going back is only going to bring you trouble. Look at the shit I went through and I _helped_ them first. They still betrayed me, so what are they going to do with you when you haven't even used your power till Utgard?"

Her eyes went wide at the words of concern, and also at the last statement. _'How does he know that I haven't shifted? Has he been watching me, did he know somehow back then? No, he couldn't have!_ '

"How do you know about that? Me not shifting?" She demanded, and at her stunned question everyone looks at him, even Eren who's at grudgingly curious at the new information. James merely shrugged his shoulders as he explained as if it wasn't that important. "It was pretty obvious, to be honest. You moved unpredictably and fast, using everything you had, but you did it with _hesitation_. You didn't seem used to doing it, which struck me as odd. So I assumed you either didn't like shifting or you never did so before, but I leaned towards the first because you had control."

"You got all that from seeing my Titan _once?_ " She asked as they all looked increfuoudly at James, even Eren was impressed. And once again he merely shrugged like it was nothing and continued.

"That and I never picked up your scent as a Titan until the tower, and I've been around the walls enough times to know who's been where. I'm just looking out for you here, but if your really that set on going back for her, it's your choice. Who knows, you might get lucky and get treated like Eren here, then again maybe not. Let me ask this: if you didn't have her waiting, would you've come with?"

She nodded at the simple question, and he accepted her answer with a thoughtful tilt of the head. "I see. It's too bad she isn't a shifter, she might've come with us. But your free to go back to be with her, I won't hold you back." As he finished Bert actually looked up at the pair and spoke.

"Actually James, since you mention that... I have a crazy idea..."


	84. 84 Clash-Diversion

**Here we go, things are picking back up. Will now be heading into episode 10 of the anime into episode 11 with obvious and necassary divergence. Hope you like the twist I'm going to pull here, and I'm actually more excited for the next 3 chapters with what I have planned. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Diversion_

"I don't like this. We should just leave him up in a tree for them to find, it's not like he's gonna be able to shift and come after us. Besides he'd just get his ass kicked again if he did. We can't risk him still being hellbent on killing our kind. We're just begging for trouble by taking him."

James was debating with Bertoldt and Reiner about what they should do with Eren. As much as they would like to go with James simple plan, they don't want to gamble on Eren somehow being able to tell the scouts which way their heading, and possibly endangering their hometown. So though very grudgingly, Reiner had insisted that they still need to bring Eren. He had hope that once Eren actually saw their people and the situation they were in, that he might be more sumpathic of their cause. And while Bert agreed with the reasoning, he too was only siding with Reiner because he doesn't want to do anything harsh to anyone else. Even with the brutal and cold things Eren had said earlier, he still doesn't understand _why_ , which makes Bert have a bit of understanding.

"James it's our best option, we already know they're going to be after us. Once we've spotted them we split up, distract and grab while the others to make a run for Maria and regroup. It's the only way we can get the both of them to come with." Bert insisted, but Reiner and James were still wary about what to do with Eren. Annie had put in her thoughts before of just leaving him and using him as bait for the scouts while they left, but Ymir gave the valid point of Eren possibly being able to shift soon and pursuing them. But even if he did it wouldn't make a difference, he was outnumbered.

Said thoughts didn't help lighten the boys mood as they converted aloud as if he wasn't awake. "Don't stand there and talk about me as if I'm not here. If your going to say something then say it to my face you goddamn traitors!"

They all heard the statement with annoyance plain on their features, but James was the only one to respond to it. Raising an eyebrow get turned to the side to glance back at Eren a few branches away.

"Well since your still acting like a child, your not fit to give your thoughts on this. Unless of course you finally get what the point of all this is, then you might be worth talking to. If not then shut up before one of us knocks you out. Grow up already Eren."

Erem narrowed his eyes at the word _child_ , the last time he was addressed with it was by Hannes years ago, when home fell. Before Eren had been reunited with his mother who he thought was bout to die, he lashed out at Hannes for turning tail. It wasn't until the soldier's words about not being able to do anything that Eren began to really think about who he was, what he must do in life. But _that_ word, that word both angered and _frightened_ him, since he heard them just before he thought his mother was about to die. But she was alive and healthy, thanks to the traitorous shifter he'd once called his friend. Because Eren had been weak and unable to do anything as Hannes put it, _because he was a kid._

And at that time the person he hates standing before him now, who he owes his mothers life to, _wasn't._ He hadn't known that then, so when he got the chance to change himself for the better, to be strong enough to save those he cared about when the time came, Eren took it. He would never be called kid again, because he would be helpless.

" _Don't call me a kid._ " Eren said low, dangerously and with narrowed eyes he saw James sneer at him. "What's wrong Eren? Too scared to face the reality that you are? You don't like it when people call you names, do you? But I bet it hurts you more because the words you called _me_ were _true._ I _am_ a monster, I _am_ an animal, and I accept that. And by the way _your acting_ , I guess you know your just a kid who can't do anything. And that just drives you crazy, now doesn't it?"

"Shut up.." Eren growled at him but James went on with his taunting. "Your just a kid who can't control himself, and because of that lack of control you end up screwing things up when they wouldn't be if you just used your head for once."

" _Shut up, don't call me a-"_

"Why not Eren? Are you afraid of hearing the truth? You called us monsters, and call me an animal because of how I act. But I at least _know_ what im doing, I just react to the world around me. But you, you just do whatever your kid mentality tells you to do and blame others for your mistakes." James finished with a hint of malice and Eren snapped.

" _I said SHUT UP!!_ DONT YOU DARE CALL ME A CHILD YOU FUCKING BEAST! YOUR GOING OFF ABOUT ME BEING A KID WHEN ALL YOU'VE DONE IS ACT LIKE ONE YOURSELF BECAUSE OF WHAT YOUR PARENTS DID TO YOU! WHAT WOULD YOUR SISTER BE THINKING IF SHE SAW YOU KNOW?!? WHAT WOULD ANYONE WHO YOU CALL YOUR FAMILY THINK IF THEY COULD SEE WHAT A PEST YOU ARE, A LIVING DEVIL! _YOU HAVE TO DIE!_ YOU AND EVERYONE LIKE YOU! REINER, BERTOLDT AND ANNIE, ALL OF YOU-" but his rant was stopped short when James leapt down to his branch and grabbed him by the throat before shoving him into the trunk before anyone could react.

Annie and the others all jumped at the sudden and violent act, and went to move forward when James picked Eren up by his throat. Eren tried to kick him to get his breath back and managed to land a weak blow at James stomach. He didn't do anything to acknowledge the hit or defend himself from Eren's nearly healed arms trying to hit his face. He just began to squeeze tighter on his neck and slammed Eren's head back into the trunk, and they saw _it._ They could all see that dangerous tint in his eyes, the same one he had when he shifted to fight Reiner atop the wall. The same one Historia described to Ymir that made her shiver as she recalled it. Annie was the first to say something as she recovered Tom her shock fastest. Reiner and the rest followed, although Ymir stayed silent through it all.

"James stop it! Your gonna kill him!"

"Don't do it, you'll only make everyone back in the walls hate you if you kill him!"

"Hey that's enough! Your choking him, stop it please!"

But the protests stopped as they landed on the bench and saw James drop Eren to the branch and place his foot on the boys chest, holding him in place as he struggled to breathe. In one of the darkest tones they've ever heard him use, James snarled low at the boy struggling to get up and breath. "What did I say Eren? I said to _never mention or threaten my sister or Annie again. I promised you in Stohess that I would kill the who fucking world and everything you love if you kill her, and I will keep that promise._ _You don't like what I said? Let me repeat it for you since your so in denial._

 _I said your a fucking child who doesn't learn. You need to grow up, because one day your gonna get someone **I** care about killed. And if you do, I'm going to skin you from head to toe before your regeneration can begin it's work. Then I'm going to tie your ass up and **Eat you** in human form, nice and slow. And when I'm finally done, I'm gonna send your corpse to your sister and watch her break down and kill herself over you. And if she tries to take me with her out of revenge, I'll gladly send her to join you in Hell myself._ _Now, shut. the fuck. UP!!"_ and with that he kicked Eren hard across the head, knocking him out cold.

Annie and Reiner were getting wary of James again, and Bert started looking anxious. Ymir could see just how hard Eren had been hit, and flinched with the others as James turned to face them. His mood had changed yet again, but he looked to be trying to keep calm. In a clipped tone He addressed them like nothing had happened. "You guys still wanna take him with? If so now's our chance, he's gonna be out for a while from that kick I gave him. Reiner your gonna have to take him, I'll help to him to your back. Annie you and Bert make sure we have our supplies in order, we need to move, _now._ Ymir-"

Reiner interrupted his orders with a confused look that Annie also shared. "Whoa wait, hold on. Why are we doing this now? We still have to bring Historia and we don't even know where the sco-" but a pair of distant bangs stopped his questions and the 4 turned to face the open plains behind them. To their startled reactions they saw the mixed smoke signals of red and green in the distance. Smoke created and used in the long range scouting formation by the Commander Erwin himself when he'd first been given the rank. _The scouts had found them._ James was already getting back to business as they were starting to get their adrenaline running, knowing what will soon be happening.

" _That's_ why. Now like I was saying you three get ready. Reiner we gotta move this along, so let's get his ass tied up. Ymir, you still in on the plan? Or you gonna cut and run? Now is the time to tell what your doing, we only get one shot if we're doing this. What's it gonna be Ymir?"

They all looked to Ymir, and she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable at all the attention being on her. She knew she had to make a decision, but she still wasn't completely sure about what she should pick. She knew for sure that she had to protect Historia, but Ymir wasn't sure about how the girl would react to being kidnapped and taken from the walls without any clue as to where they would go. That was probably the biggest thing holding her from outright going with them.

 _'Dammit, it's so simple. Just choose already!'_ She looked at the faces around her for some hint, but she really only was looking at one person's face. She knew that even if she chose to stay, he wouldn't try to stop her or hold it against her for choosing Historia over him. _Because he knows who she is like, and still respects her that much._

Ymir knows what her decision is.

"I'm coming with you guys, let's do this. And then we can all go home, with those we fight for."


	85. Clash-Bishop takes Queen

**Not much to say, but things are picking back up. Next chapter will definitely be more actiony with our usual perspective of our favorite Warrior. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Bishop Takes Queen_

Armin and Mikasa were riding on horseback just behind Commander Erwin with the scouts who were still in fighting condition. When the commander had regrouped with them atop Wall Rose after the battle with James, Eren and Reiner, he'd shown up with a larger force than they were expecting. Hange and the rest who were closest to the impact from the Collassal Titan crashing down were knocked unconscious from the heat. But the woman's determination to give the leader of the scouts a very likely location for the group they were pursuing kept her awake momentarily.

As Erwin thanked her for the information before she slipped into unconsciousness, she managed to firmly urge the man to avoid confrontation with the Mauler and Female forms. Initially he had been reluctant to acknowledge such a request when the scouts had no intention of taking them alive anymore. Too much destruction and loss of life left him no choice, and that was one of the agreements for the dozen or so military police who he'd been given command of to join this operation. They couldn't be controlled, so they would have to be hunted down, though he didn't mention that to Hange as fatigue overtook her.

When she finally passed out and was carried back to the rest by Moblit, Erwin was approached by Nanaba, who was in better shape as she also insisted that they be left alone as they hadn't harmed any scouts, but fought to _protect_ the southern team at castle Utgard. He still questioned about what brought on this sudden change of behavior when the blonde haired scout told him uncomfortably.

"He's just reacting to the world around him, and I think his past is what's driving his actions now. Before the Clash he started telling us about his life story and Erwin, _it's pretty_ _bad_. There are things we didn't even feel comfortable scribing down, you can ask Moblit. But it showed us why he was willing to spare Hange and ourselves as well when we all regrouped, and that's because he's been faced with the world being his enemy all his life. If you choose to fight him, he will fight and kill whoever gets in his way to win. But if you don't, then he won't bother with you. That's why he talked Hange and gave us an audience, because we _didn't attack him_."

"That may be so Nanaba, but I also heard that he struck Eren and launched him with a helluva blow. He also was ready to fight shortly before this clash of the titans. Mind explaining that?" Erwin said as he raised one of his legendary massive eyebrows at her and she swallowed before replying "Eren was struck by the Armored Titan, and when he got back up his closest taget was Draekon, and so he gave him a hard hook to the face. _Draekon didn't take kindly to that,_ and returned the sentiment. But I noted that he was focusing his attention on the Armored Titan the entire time. Sir I insist, do not attack him. It only invites retalliation from him as well as the Female Titan. And if you even think of raising a blade at her, he won't hesitate to slaughter all of our forces. Please Commander, take heed of our words."

Erwin was deep in pondering the blondes words, and as much as they made sense, he wouldn't be allowed to act on them. He already had a large enough mess to deal with politically and literally for the failed Stohess operation, and he would be arrested if he were to ignore direct orders to kill the Mauler and Female forms on sight. The Armored and Colassal were already on the kill list, but the newly revealed shifter Ymir was a situation he would treat with wary neutrality. The girl was reported to kill Titans to protect those at Utgard, but then again so had Draekon and Leonhardt. And before that Draekon was killing Titans in humanities name before his defection.

Since that internal debate a few hours ago all adrenaline began to pump as he led his soldiers towards the forest of giant trees within Wall Maria. He had under his command half a legion of scouts alone and a number of Garrison reconnisance teams, but he also had a dozen or so Mps who would only be attempting to kill the Mauler Titan. Their orders came from the monarchy and could not be disobeyed, just like his. If they were to encounter the Mauler or Female Titans, Erwin was already grimacing as he pictured the brutal deaths that would follow because of unrefuseable orders. Those men would die following their oath to the king, but Erwin would not allow his scouts to die unecassarily when their deaths could be instead _avoided_ by blurring his orders.

He decided that he would allow the Mps to deal with those two, but Erwin and the rest would focus on retrieving Eren. He won't send scouts after the Mauler or Female forms unless they present themselves as enemies or attack first. Hopefully Nanava's assessment of Draekon was accurate enough that he wouldn't fight back unless provoked. But Erwin still remembered the massacre from the 57th that there was a side of the boy that was untamed, one that wasn't _human_ in nature, but animalistic.

Erwin was brought out of his thoughts when two flashes of lighting erupted int he forest with a large distance of maybe 40 meters between them. _'So they've shifted, but the question is which two? The Armored and Mauler? The "dancing Titan" and Leonhardt? Unfortunately only time will tell, hopefully sooner than later.'_ He thought as he gave orders for the 104th to go further ahead and recon the forest while he lead the Titans elsewhere.

"Cadets break! Into the forest, recover Eren or distract the enemy long enough for us to surround them!" As the 104th and a few from the Garrison reconnisance teams rocketed away on their Odm rigs, many different sized Titans began to emerge from the treeline. Erwin steeled himself and gave another set of orders to those left. "The rest of you split! We'll go around and regroup on the far side of the forest! Lead the Titans away!" Those under his command followed while the head Mp that joined them gave orders of his own to break as well, but Erwin knew what they could be facing inside those trees and left them to it.

 _'Its their choice to fight or avoid them, and they'll face it when it comes. Right now I just hope my latest gamble is going to pay off.'_ Erwin thought as the Mps split up into 2 groups, one of which went to one lighting strike while the cadets Erwin sent out headed to the other. The remaining handful of Mps stayed and followed the orders issued to his soldiers. The Titans were following them eagerly, and a few unfortunate souls were snatched up and devoured before the eyes of their comrades. There was nothing he could do for them, except recover Eren and try to make their sacrifices worthwhile. _That_ was the harsh reality of being a leader, and for one person was exactly the reason he didn't feel he was the right person for it.

Connie, Armin and the rest of the 104th fired their Odm as they scouted ahead for any sign of the shifters. So far they haven't seen anything but soon a shout from Hannes team a little bit further ahead grabs their attention. "Abnormal, 7 meters in the trees!" As the group nears the target they are startled to see that it's actually Ymir in Titan form, just hanging there. Before Hannes group can attack Connie quickly races ahead and inform them of the news. "Don't attack! It's Ymir, this is her Titan form! She's one of the people Reiner and Bertoldt kidnapped. She's one of us!" The Garrison soldiers back off and instead spread out in a fanning formation to cover more ground as they continued searching for any of the other shifters, mainly Eren.

Connie landed just to the left of Ymir, but she gave no sign of his presence. Jean and the rest took up positions on the tree trunks and tried communicating with her, but she seemed to not be hearing them or just not caring. Connie tried yelling out "Hey ugly! Where are Reiner and Bertoldt, or James and Annie? C'mon answer us already!" the bald boy got frustrated and landed on the Titans shifters shoulder And began kicking the back of her head. To anyone else the sight would've been downright amusing, but to those waiting for some sort of reaction, now wasn't the time. All Ymir seemed to be doing was looking at them, her Titans natural scowl creeping out the few who hadn't seen it yet; Marco, Armin, Sasha and Jean.

Armin was thinking hard about the odd behavior as it continued. _'Why isn't she doing anything? Is she acting as a lookout for Reiner and Bert? If so then what of Annie and James, where are they in all this? Or did she escape? And why is she looking at our faces like that?'_ But he's brought out of his thoughts by a happy sweet voice as the person it belonged to finally caught up with the rest of them.

All their faces turned at the sound including Ymir's, which suddenly sent off a warning bell in Armin's thoughts as Historia came into view. Her face was relived and happy at seeing the girl alive and fine, and began to speak to her as she got closer to the group. "Ymir! Your alright! I was worried that you could've been hur-" but before the blonde could finish, something unexpected and quite frankly _not good_ happened.

Ymir lunged at Historia with her jaws open as wide as they could stretch.

The blonde girl didn't even have time to react, her face was still happy as the massive jaws surrounded her and closed. While they were all in shock to see the girl being eaten, Armin managed to see that Historia wasn't _devoured_ , but being kept _alive_. _'Shes kidnapping her!'_ As Armin came to the conclusion Ymir was already swinging and leaping away by using the massive trees around them. "Ymir's switched sides, she's with Reiner and Bertoldt now! We have to follow her!"

Quickly they all snapped out of their shock and began firing after her, and Jean was the only one speak during the turn of events. "C'mon you guys, don't tell me I'm the only one who was prepared for this!" His words are met by silence and unease by his comrades, and he's starting to realize that Ymir is now another person added to the list of friend turned traitor. As they pursue the agile shifter they begin hearing sounds off to the far left, where the other lightning strike hit. They started getting scared as they realized what they were.

 _The sounds were screams and angry high pitched roars._


	86. 86 Clash-The Hunted

**T** **his chapter will be a heavy au style one because this never happened in the manga in any way. Hopefully you guys will see just what movie I got the inspiration for this chapter from. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash_ - _The_ _Hunted_

The military police team assigned to accompany Commander Erwin split with more than half of their numbers heading into the forest. Their destination was the second lightning strike while their fellow Mps stayed with the scout leader. As the group neared it their anxiety rose, the head Mp gave orders for his troops to ready and prepare the special gear and weapons they were given before heading outside of Wall Rose. This equipment was far different than what they had seen before, but under strict orders from his majesty they were to keep silent to those outside of their group.

The new weapons and gear they were packing were a variety of different but practical methods of combating against the Mauler or Female Titans. The first of the odd weapons were a series of rifles that had multiple barrels instead of just one. Though they still fired ball bearings, the barrels were able to _rotate_ and be fired in quick succession before all of them would need to be reloaded. The next item was a rather cumbersome contraption, having 4 large spear heads in each corner of it's large boxy shaped barrel.

It was designed and weilded as a handheld, but surprisingly it wasn't very heavy at all. The spear tips seemed to be connected by some sort of line or rope further inside the massive cartridge the spikes were loaded into, which reminded the user of a net. It occured to them that it may be a sort of entrapment device, but from its size it wouldn't be as effective as the massive nets the military used to capture Titans.

 _This_ _one_ would probably only cover it's face, so it was decided to be best used as a distraction item so the rest of them could target the nape. That's most likely where the most _mysterious_ items of their equipment came in, which barely a handful of them had. The devices were simple enough in shape and design, but a complete riddle on their inner workings. The 4 objects were shaped like massive spears, but the ends had double prongs that were made of some sort of metal. Further down the hilt was a trigger not too different from the ones on the Odm gear, but _these_ served a vastly different purpose.

When pulled the trigger created a bright crackling light on the prong ends, which looked like the lightning from a storm or shifter. It seemed to be a shocking weapon of some sort, though like most of these new items they weren't so sure. They hadn't tested them out yet in fear of the safety warnings written along the sides, but they knew they would have to get close to the target to use them. Hopefully they would have a powerful effect on their target long enough to take out the nape and the shifter inside.

The group was ready to fight now that they familiarized themselves with the new weapons, and approached the site cautiously. Some were on the ground as a risky gamble to attack the legs, and a few more were using the trees in order to assualt the head when the time came. The area they were traveling in was far more lush and crowded with trees and foliage compared to the rest of the forest.

It made things more complicated for them, causing a faint sense of being _hunted_ , yet they _were the hunters_. This caused them to go slower to not walk into an ambush, through it was a _17 meter Titan_ they were hunting. How could they miss it? As they began to creep forward once more towards a small body of water, the net weilder called out a warning to his comrades. "Heads up, blood near the stream! It still looks fresh, hasn't evaporated away."

His commanding officer gave a nod and gave instructions to his men, though he did so in a quieter tone as to not be overheard by what had spilled it. "You heard him, keep your eyes open. The ugly bastards around here somewhere, remember the plan. Cripple and terminate. I don't give a damn what that crazy scientist said, the higher ups want him taken care of. Too many lives have been lost, _so we make sure we get the job done right_. Understood?" The nods of confirmation gave the captain a sense of security. _'Good, their all on the same page. Let's get this done and bag the son of a bitch.'_

As they entered the small stream to view their findings a few birds overhead flew away. The brush and vegetation nearest the water was _very thick_ , too dense for them to even see fully around them unless they took to the trees. The surroundings were almost suffocating in a way, but the soldiers kept their nerve about them and kept an eye on the thick brush. They didn't see anything moving, so they decided that the birds were just spooked by some animal, maybe a fox or something.

What they didn't know it _that it was an animal_ , but one far bigger than what they dismissed it as.

 _It was the one they were hunting._

A few more birds flew away with startled calls and slowly from the heavy foliage barely 4 meters from the group, the Mauler Titan creeped out on all fours, it's height only half of it's towering 17 meters. It's dark scales blended right in with the leaves, _'It knew to hide low in the brush and use the cover to sneak up on us_... _Or_ _it was waiting for us to come to it.'_ the leader of the group thought, as it gave them a deep hiss that eminated from the large toothed jaws, which parted as it took in their numbers and weapons in less than a second. The man turned and panicked as he gave quick orders to his troops.

"Target confirmed, it can camouflage!"

But being the leader of the group has it's downfalls, such as being at the head of the group...and closest to the target. The Mauler crawled out snarling at the words and reached out with a long arm. James snagged the man up tight in his palm and gave an angry challenging growl, and the troops began their assualt. Three of them fired off their rifles at it's face, hoping to blind it while 2 took to the trees. The shots did nothing but piss it off, and the man was tossed into the the stream below. As he sputtered and tried to rise, a large clawed foot slammed down on him, crushing every bone in his body against the rockbed below him.

Two of the men weilding the spears yelled as they rushed his body, being that he was on all fours they had reaching distance at his chest and neck. But James knew he was protected, what could they do with spears of all things? No blade could even scratch his armor, that he knew as a smug fact. _What he didn't know_ _was that the damn things would_ _hurt_ _like a_ _motherfucker_ when they came into contact with his skin.

For some reason something from the odd spears stung his skin like the lightning would when he shifted, but these only gave him _pain_ , not power. He shrieked at the painful shocks his legs and arms received and backed up while turning to swipe at his attackers. He gave a warbling roar to intimidate them and was nearly sadistic as he saw them flee from him. He lunged at them on all fours with his eyes going into slits, his predatory instincts being allowed full control.

A few bolted out of fear to get to safer distance from his flailing hands and feet claws lashing out. James grabbed one scout around the body and tossed him hard over his shoulder into a a large branch, hopefully finishing him quickly. Another faced a lethal backhand from his fist that broke every bone like he'd done to their leader. James got his next surprise as a pair swooped down from above to try and take out his eyes, but he's already learned to counter that trick.

He formed his dredlocks around his eyes but used his ears and nose to attack while they were distracted by the odd act. Following the scent of sweat and hearing the ripples in the air from gas firing, he threw a solid jab that connected with one soldier. The other he smacked towards the ground, and heard slam full force into a tree trunk. Before he could open the dreds again he felt those damn stings again at his legs and turned to eye where they would try to flee when he found himself facing the one with a large weapon of some sort. _'What the hell's that?'_ he thought as he tried to identify it but failed to.

He briefly cocked his head for a moment as he tried to predict what would happen, when the man fired the device. It launched a _net_ at high velocity towards his face and he barely got out a shriek of surprise before it wrapped almost completely around his face, lodged between the scales of his armored hide. It held his jaws in place like a muzzle and nealry blinded him, but his right eye was still uncovered. He snarled as he felt the spear stings on his blind side for a moment and stumbled around trying to rid himself of the net.

He knocked a few trees over trying to get it off and evade the stinging pain they were dealing to his legs. The two firing off shots didn't help either because they were dangerously close to his right eye, they were trying to _blind him._ James was starting to really get pissed as the projectiles bounced off from just under his eye and felt another hit his nose. _'Thats it! YOUR ALL DEAD!'_

Using both of his hands James tore the nets spears from where they'd lodged in his armor and pulled it off as he fell forward to his hands. His face was free and James gave a bloodthirsty roar of victory as he quickly pivoted on all his limbs and struck the two who fired upon his face. The third shooter tried to duck but James swung his maw around, grabbed the man's arm and threw him into the air before catching him again. The man's screams went high in pitch and pain as his body was crushed and torn apart, munched on like a stubborn piece of meat in the jaws of the deadliest shifter know to humanity.

The former net weilder dragged back a soldier who James thought was killed on impact from being thrown into a tree limb. Aside from the soon to be doomed pair the last rifleman was charging and firing as James prowled forward with his primal form reminding the man of a large lizard. Though he knew he was doomed, he still aims at the eyes in hopes of blinding it while his two comrades got as far away as possible, but like all things it would end.

It ended with a warbling screech and a rapidly approaching maw of teeth that closed down on the man from the waist up. The beast spat out the crushed carcass and pounced again to repeat the grisly acts that too ended in high screams.

The hunters were no more. _They'd become Prey._


	87. Clash-Titan Bait

**Okay I'm back, things are picking up and so are the updates. As usual drop a review, haven't gotten any from my usual few. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Titan Bait_

The Titan trio stood at the far edge of the forest, waiting for a sign from either of the shifters return. Eren had been removed from Reiner's back once they arrived at the border and since then strapped onto Bert instead. Annie was too small, so the tall lanky shifter decided to take the weight, both metaphorically and literally. The sceams from the side James went to ended abruptly with them all wincing as they tried to not picture just what had happened back there. But they were relieved to see a form swinging through the trees towards them, Bertoldt in particular was internally joyed because it was Ymir, which meant the plan they decided was going smooth so far.

"Heads up, she's back! Reiner your up!" Annie called out to the blonde shifter, but he planted himself and waited until he saw what _he_ wanted. Sticking out of Ymir's mouth he could see the clear outline of a boot, which put Reiner in a sense of ease as he knew she'd successfully captured Historia to bring along. ' _Shes safe, she's coming with. We're all going home.'_ He was able to focus more on the goal he needs in order to transform and leapt over the branch while slicing his palm with the knife Ymir gave him.

A bright flash of light and momentary surge of power later, the Armored Titan landed heavily slammed into the ground on its knees, and started taking off towards the great plains with thudding footsteps. Annie and Bertoldt fired their gear's hooks into the exposed areas of flesh near his nape, and Ymir leapt and roughly landed on his right shoulder carrying her precious cargo. They held on as Reiner charged forward from the treeline, passing behind Erwin's group of soldiers and the greedy Titans following them, much to the leaders brief surprise. The group of the 104th and Garrison who were pursuing her watched in momentary shock as the group quickly was escaping into the sunset. But they refocused and landed on the horses that were brought by the members for Hannes group and took off after the shifters.

The lack of numbers was a bit odd to them, after all they couldn't see where the rest of the scouts, the Commander included or Mps were currently at. But they did know there was no one left in the forest they just vacated, the screams being cut off were an assurance of that. The roars now coming from the area after a pregnant pause led them to believe that _only_ James was still back there, and wanting to fight. While a select few such as Connie and Sasha wanted to go back and find him, to see if he was alright, they had to focus on the matter at hand. They needed to catch up with Reiner and the rest, and recover Eren. So the two grit their teeth and charged after the Armored Titan and his passengers, fighting the feeling of leaving a member of their family back there.

Further back in the forest James was licking the blood away from his claws and teeth when he saw the flash of lightning. That was the signal that Reiner shifted, his sensitive ears picked up the crash into the ground, followed by the rumbling but steady footsteps. He also smelt Ymir's scent rapidly approaching that area, heard it too along with the firing of gas. She was being pursued, and as James pondered about whether to give her support from behind he caught the scents of those following her. _It was his family from the 104th, and he also caught Sasha's scent with theirs._ She was safe and alive, but she was heading towards Titan territory. He could smell them in this forest, and also a large number of them following something on the left flank towards the right half of the forest.

Part 1 of the plan was complete then, Ymir snatches Historia while James creates a distraction since he was the second most suited for their enviorment. Now he pondered going after them and kidnapping the cadets as well, or clearing out any Titans that he finds in the forest to make sure the cadets can at least follow Reiner and the others safely. _Then_ he can grab them, and hopefully they understand. He settles for the second option because he doesn't want to appear as an enemy until he's sure he can get them all out of here fast. Otherwise it's gonna turn into hell quickly out here in Titan territory.

James stood up at his full height and let out a long and loud roar at the sky like he'd done in Trost with Eren. The desired and hoped effect was to attract as many Titans as he could to him, and use his form as well as the enviorment around him to his advantage. Draw them in and kill as many as he can till he's satisfied that his family and allies are in the clear, then use the trees to rise above and escape from the carnage. But if he could understand how to use this damn ability Annie and the others claim he and Eren have, then he could get the Titans to do whatever he wants and just stay away from them entirely. It was a shame he didn't know how to do it, but he'll settle for doing what he knows works.

He waits barely 30 seconds before the first few loomed into his sights, and he holds his position till they come closer. His nose and ears pick up more coming from all direction, some normal and a few abnormally. He rumbles in his chest, at least this time he isn't facing the amount he did from both of his encounters with the Beast Titan. _'Speaking of which, where is that hairy fucker? I saw him climb down on this side of the wall, but what is it doing? It hasn't made an appearance since Utgard, so did it leave the area?'_ Hopefully it's left to wander back outside the walls, or far away as possible from any of the districts. Even if he's not fighting _for_ humanity, he doesn't want Innocents to die.

He shook his head and leapt at the nearest 10 meter, quickly decapitating it and tearing it's nape out. A larger 14 meter swings it's arm around to hit his head but he ducks, and grabs the limb before planting his foot on its ribs. He tears the arm right out of its socket, and clubs it's neck with the severed limb until it's a pulp. He feels a smaller 4 meter clamp it's mouth on his calf, but his armor protects him. He tries shaking it off but still has to grab it's entire head in his hand and pitch the stubborn bastard hard at a large thick tree. It went down no problem with a crunch, and he turns to take in just how many are coming for him.

The number surprises him, when he first woke he only saw about a dozen or so titans. But now he sees about _triple_ that, but some are still a ways back in the trees. He can manage this group, just do a recount after eliminating each wave. His eyes close and open again, this time his pupils being full slits as his body went into attack mode. One of the most curious features about his body that he never actually knew until he overheard Hange comparing his and Eren's Titan forms with Moblit before the expedition, was the similarity in their eyes. When they went into full killing mode both James and Erens Titans showed a major predatory trait most carnivores possessed, and that was a _third nictating membrane._

The adaptation helped cover and protect the eyes of animals in combat or hunting, much like he'd best observed lizards do when hunting for bugs or rats. It was one of the most fascinating things he'd ever noticed about the animal that he too had. He also had a scaly armor that flowed organically on his body as opposed to Reiners armor plates that rose above his skin in sections. James also had claws that seemed perfect for ripping and tearing, and so did the neat but interlocking teeth he possessed in his deadly maw. It was almost like he was an entirely different breed of shifter altogether, because his father and mother had such features about their titans as well, which he inherited because they were his parents.

Every other shifter was different, but really nothing like him. It seems probably why he's so interested in Ymir's form because it too moves like an animal, had unnatural jaws for its size, and deadly claws on her hands and talons on her feet like him, though much smaller in comparison. Maybe he'll find more like him once he arrives at the village he's anxious to see, but right now he has to fight to even think of going there. Just like everything in life, it must be fought for, because that's the way of the world. The only way to live is to fight. It's the same concept in one way or another, but it _doesn't change_. Quite ironic when James remembers he did once preach to Jean about change _always_ happening when you least expect it. But considering his current situation, he's still right.

 _'Focus James, we'll see it soon enough. We'll have a new home again, and it'll be with Annie. Just like we wanted.'_ He thought to himself as he continued to fight the incoming Titans, occasionally an abnormal mixing things up. Those were actually bit of fun to deal with as opposed to all the bland normal ones that just reach for him like beggers. James doesn't want to just fight with ease, he wants to _hunt._ He wants a challenge dammit! But he doesn't recieve one over the next five minutes as James finds himself in a equally pitifully easy but necassary slaughter.

He raised his head and inhaled after seeing that no more Titans are in the area, which must mean they'd joined the group of their kind being led by whatever was enticing them currently on the outer right side of the forest. The scent wafting back was only a few minutes old, and told him that maybe the scouts had been keeping to a tight cluster to draw them away. _'But why? I'm sure no one wants to fight them, but why don't they spread out to make the numbers easier to deal with?_ ' James shook his head as he decide what to do next, and he eventually decided to stay afar from everyone but close enough to help his fellow shifters.

Right now he'll settle for stalking those he has to rescue, even if they don't know they need rescuing. But if he's successful, then they will, even those who don't really know about the situation. But he knows at least one person does, and Sasha might be telling them. If not well, they will have to accept it.

He hopes they will.


	88. 88 Clash-A Queens Choice

**I'm back! I know the last update was a _little_ bit fast so forgive me. GenjiMachineGun close but not the mark. I actually got the scene from Jurassic World where they try capturing the Indominus Rex at the river. There's also a vid on YouTube of the scene with Eren's Titan roars from the dub which also gives a good visual of sorts when reading the chapter. But you did have an interesting theory I'll certainly give you that. We're now heading into the events of episode 11 of season 2, and by either the end of this chapter or the next we'll start the events of the season 2 finale. After that it'll be complete Au, though every once in a while I'll switch back to show the events of the aftermath to the clash of the Titans. The Uprising Arc doesn't immediately happen in this story, but it will happen in the future for sure with big changes. After the Clash Arc ends, it will go into the Eldia Arc that I know a few of you and even our shifters are excited to go to, then the next Arc. After that I'm not too sure how long I'll keep this story going, but I know I'll make a meaningful and good ending(or _endings_?). Well I think I've rambled on long enough, possibly the longest authors note I've written in a while. Hope you guys like this chapter enough with the changes to Ymir's as well as the other shifters motivations and actions. Mellow chapter here. As usual drop a review, tell me your thoughts. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-A Queens Choice_

Historia Reiss found herself in a wet and hot _temperature_ wise position, but soon the rush of leaving that place and feeling cool air brought the girl back to consciousness. She found herself choking a bit as she coughed hard and expelled spit and saliva from her nose and mouth. Granted not much had gotten in, but it was definitely enough to make anyone with probably the exception of Hange sick to their stomachs. And that was only because the scientist had a somewhat unnatural obsession regarding Titans and their anatomy. Hell she probably tried going into ones stomach while it was still alive, but she wouldn't let into that...ever.

She opened her eyes and was a bit startled at the change of scenery, she appeared to be far away from the forest of giant trees.

 _'What the? How- wait, where's Ymir?'_ She looked around and found that she was in Ymir's titan forms hand, held firm but not too tight, she could still breathe. She looked around further and saw Annie and Bertoldt, who had Eren strapped to his back. The shifter pair had their focus on her now as they watched from the collarbone of Reiners Titan form. They all appeared to be riding atop of Reiner through the open plains area towards what, Wall Maria? Ymir looked at her with those black eyes, kind of creeping her out but Historia reassures herself that Ymir wouldn't hurt her. Historia decided to talk first to the shifter and called out to her.

"Ymir what's going on? What are you doing, why did you kidnap me?!" She shouted out to make herself heard, but Ymir didn't respond. All she did was look away, but from her nape a release of steam blinded the girl's vision momentarily before it cleared. Historia is surprised to see that the brunette is partially exposed from her nape, but only her top half. Her arms as well as the rest follow her body is still connected, meaning she isn't ready to leave her Titan form yet. Ymir called back to her "Sorry about that, should've eaten you with more care. Historia you have to listen, I promise to explain everything but right now don't fight it. We're leaving the walls, and you have to as well."

Historia can't believe her ears, _'leaving the walls?! Has she gone insane!?'_ the blonde voiced her thoughts aloud "What are you talking about? There's nowhere to go outside the walls, it's just Titans out here! You need to stop this, just come back and we can explain everything to the-" but Ymir's angrily cut her off, surprising her with the firmness in which she said it. "No, I'm not going back to them. I'm won't face what Eren and James went through when I don't have to. So I'm following him and the rest back to their village, and I want you to come with. Please Historia, trust me in this! It's not safe in the walls, for my kind or you and you know it!"

The blonde is trying to process everything Ymir just told her, "Why, you wouldn't face anything, you've helped protect us!" Ymir snapped back just as fast "And so did James and we all know how that turned out! I also have my own reasons for hiding, and if you come with I'll tell them to you. I can't stay in the walls anymore Historia, so your coming with. I know it's selfish of me but it's what has to be done!"

At the declaration Historia looks over to see Bert and Annie watching the interaction with a bit of sadness on their faces. Historia then has a troubling thought pass through her head, surely it's why Ymir is _really_ doing this. "And what about _them_? Did they threatened you? Is _that_ why your doing this, tell me right now Ymir, I want the truth! Are they forcing you against staying?" Ymir actually looks shocked at that, did she really come off as not being as dedicated to this? She just threw it out there about her intentions, but her sweet blonde goddess isn't believeing it? Why?

Bert called out to Ymir and Historia, addressing the latter first "We aren't forcing or telling her to do anything! I know my word may not mean much anymore, but this is her choice I swear! We gave her the option to go back to you and everyone else, but she knows as well as us what she can expect back there! She told me how she became a shifter, and if you knew how then you wouldn't be thinking that _we're_ making her do this!

She can still leave now if that's what she wants...none of us will stop you two. If she wants to stay it's her choice, as it is yours as well. But Ymir's telling the truth Historia, she's doing this for _you."_ Historia looks at the lanky shifter turned traitor in surprise.

 _'This is all for me? Why? Why is she so scared about being a shifter in the walls?'_ But as she tries to piece it together, a thought and memory passes through her head. _'Because it's just like what James said at the wall. **There are those who don't want to understand, who will still hate her**. Its like what they were saying about Eren being a monster who had to be put down at his trial...but would they really do that to Ymir?'_ She looks to the shifter in question and stares deep into her wide eyes. They seem to be pleading with her and she goes to speak when Bertoldt addresses Ymir with something like sadness in his voice, but she can tell he's trying to hide it. It puzzles the girl, _'Whys he acting that way around her? It's like what he was doing after Utgard...like he-'_

"Ymir...if she doesn't want to go then don't force her to. If she wants to stay then let her. Your free to join her, you know that. Don't worry about us, just worry about yourself. Do what you said you needed to do like you told me back in the trees. _Do what you want.._ " They all look at him in surprise, but Annie is the first to say something to her friend, trying to say it low only for him to hear but it's still caught by the other two.

"Bert, don't beat yourself up over this. Please we can't slow down right now. We've risked almost everything to just bring them with. _We're right here Bert, all of us. We can't stop now_ , don't do this to you-"

Bert cut her off with a somber tone "Annie don't tell me what I shouldn't do here, I know if it was James in this situation you would do the same if it meant him being happy. I know that for a fact. If Ymir wants to leave...then she can leave. I won't hold her back." Historia still isn't able to piece together all of this, but Ymir's snaps her back to their debate. "Please Historia, just trust me. I have to go, come with me."

The girl is still conflicted about what she should do, but she does know that Ymir wouldn't do this if she were as free as Bert and Annie claim. Does that really mean Ymir is set on this by her own free will? She knows that with taking her name back that she's now a target from both her family and the wall church, but out here there's only Titans...right? But she recalls what James said at the wall to Eren and the rest. " _And now I have someplace to go outside these walls!"_ Was he telling the truth? Is there a village or town of people possibly like Ymir and the other shifters out there? Annie Reiner and Bert all came form somewhere outside the walls, is that where Ymir claims to be following them to?

A place far from the monarchy, from her friends, the scouts, the wall cult...Though she knows it'll be hard to leave her friends, the thought of escaping from the two groups who made her life hell appeals to her. She looks to Ymir who still waits for an answer, her eyes pleading with her. She makes her decision.

"Well..like I said, I'm here. And I will always be your ally. I'll come Ymir, for you."

The brunette is on the verge of tears, grateful that this can be easier now. She thanks Historia and the blonde hesitantly fires her hooks into Reiners right shoulder. She's going with Ymir who reentered her nape and seals it up, but is still keeping her distance from the others. She doesn't trust them just yet, but if James was going with them as well, she thinks that she can be more at ease knowing he'll be there.

After all after Ymir he was the other person who would fiercely defend her by killing whatever came after her. Historia knows that it's mainly because of how she reminds him of his sister, and sadly hopes to herself that someday he might have inner peace over what happened to her.

Garrison soldiers riding on horseback fired their odm and tried to latch onto Reiner, But Ymir snatched the cables away and rolled their users to the ground. One blonde haired soldier in particular trued his hardest to get close to Eren but his line was still caught by her. She made sure to keep an eye on those getting back on their horses and still chased the group, taking note of how many were following her, including those from the 104th. They weren't too close but soon enough they would be, the question was whether or not they would try their luck as well. And what Ymir would do if they did, roll them away as well or let them ride Reiner too. She hope they won't attack, she doesn't want to attack them but will defend the others if need be.

What Ymir didn't see was the pair of blades that sliced right through her left eye as she gave a shriek of pain. Or the Raven haired woman who wielded them with a murderous glare in her cold eyes.


	89. Clash-Comrades

**Okay I know that was a cliffhanger, but that chapter was a bit more difficult to write because it was very different from the anime and manga. As usual drop a review, tell me what you think so far. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Comrades_

Ymir shrieked in pain as her left eye was cut with blades by the biggest threat to her and the others right now, _Mikasa._ Said girl reaimed her attack at Annie and Bert, who fled lower on Reiners collarbone.

As they saw her come rocketing towards them Bert quickly yelled out in fear "Reiner protect us!" The hands of the Armored Titan came up to form a wall between the three shifters incliding Eren, who was now awake, and Mikasa's blades. The steel shattered barely moments after the hands got in place, showing just how close of a call it was.

 _'Holy shit! She almo-BY THE WALLS!_ ' Bert's mind screamed as Mikasa peered through the small space between Reiners fingers. Her eyes were _absolutely terrifying,_ even Annie was a bit unsettled by them and she'd seen how furious James eyes were when he chased her in the forest. The difference was she knew that he wouldn't hurt her but _Ackerman_ , if looks could kill every Titan would be eradicated by the look the pair was receiving. Bert was terrified by the sight, and could only stare back in sheer paralysis as silence met them.

The girl giving them the death glare then turned her attention to Ymir, who snarled and tried to make a grab at her but she landed on Reiners head and prepared to attack. "Alright then, looks like Ymir goes first!" and she fired forward to carve out the other eye when a certain "kidnapped" blonde got right in her way, landing on the Titans face. _"Mikasa no!_ Your not going to kill Ymir!"

Mikasa retreated to Reiner's head after almost hurting Historia accidently. _'What the hell is she thinking?! She kidnaps you and your **defending** her?!_ She voiced her thoughts aloud after focusing her eyes on the girl "That all depends on her. What'll it be? She can step aside or she can die her choice!"

"That's not fair! She's just doing what she has to for us to survive! They offered her a place to go, she isn't safe back there she told me that herself. _Please_ _you_ _have_ _to_ _understand!"_ Historia desperately tried to explain, not wanting to sound as if _she_ was alright with the other shifters, after all they've done some horrible things, James included.

But he at least had reason to, Historia doesn't know about the reasoning for the others, but if he really decided to go with them then it must be something _very important,_ or it would cost more innocent lives if _it wasn't done._ Mikasa responded to the girl in a tone that grew increasingly darker. "Listen there's only so many lives I can give a damn about. Cruel, but that's the world our enemies gave us six years ago. Sorry but I don't have any heartstrings left for you to tug on.

You want compassion? _Move on._ You want fair? _Tough shit._ Times wasting Krista, pick your side. Eren or the _bitch I'm gonna_ _kill!"_

Said bitch snarled and goes to move forward when Historia yells out to her. "Ymir stop! Look at her face she means it! Don't make a move!" The shifter stops but her ears twitch as she hears more gas rigs fire onto Reiner, but she doesn't do anything to _them._ Inside the safety of Reiners hands Eren is forcing Bert into the tough armor, his face being shoved into the opposite direction of Eren's legs.

Annie is trying to restrain him but he evades and tries landing a blow on something vital. He isn't successful as she easily dodges the limbs but is forced to keep her distance from them. After all her and James _did_ teach him how to use them with deadly efficiency even when pinned. Something she's starting to regret showing him back then, but who would've ever guessed that fate would bring them to how things were now?

Bert struggles to keep his face off the surface of Reiner's hands, getting very annoyed at the fight Eren's giving. "Quit struggling, it's not going to help anyone!" But a familiar voice interrupts them and the trio inside the cage of armor go still. "Good luck talking sense into _that one_ Bertoldt. When something lights a fire under him, that's it. Getting Eren to calm down's a lost cause, take my word for it. I've been on the receiving end more than you have. Whadda ya say we teach him patience? C'mon, _show yourself."_

 _That voice_ , one with friendly snark and smug confidence woven all though it belonged to none other than Jean, who Bert hasn't seen since the scouts split into two groups days ago shortly after the 57th. Bert kept silent as Mikasa also called inside the hands at him. "Give him back _right now!"_ But before he can say anything _another_ voice comes through, but it's not angry. _It's_ ** _hurt_**. "Guys really? This is some kind of joke right?There's no way this is you, you've been lying to us this whole time? _We were supposed to be comrades!"_ Connie cried out to those inside.

Above him on the opposite side the pair heard another voice, and Annie's eyes widened at recognizing who it was. "They still are! _This is all just a misunderstanding_! Annie can you hear me? Where's James, what's he doing?" The hunter asked the blonde shifter anxiously, and Annie debates internally about whether she should respond. She saw her last back in Dauper before James said his goodbyes and presumably told her where he would be going, possibly even _why._ She decides to reply with a question of her own to assess the girl.

"Did he tell you where we're going? About _why?_ You have to tell me if he did!" Annie asks and hears Sasha quickly fire back, still waiting to hear where her adopted step brother was. "Yes he did, that's why I'm trying to talk to you guys. _They_ dont know yet, but James told me everything he knew from you!" Annie swallowed and gave the information she and the others also wanted to know except Mikasa. She doesn't care what that monster is doing back there, she has to get Eren out of there _now._ But she still listens since she can't pierce the armor with her blades or slip inside and free him herself.

"He's hiding in the trees distracting the Titans from following us, but once he takes care of them he's gonna regroup with us! He's safe I promise!" Sasha is grateful for the news and thanks her for telling her before Jean starts speaking again, trying to maintain his demeanor.

"Where do you think your going? You can't keep running forever. We're not gonna let that happen, rat bastards. To think that through thick and thin we slept under the same roof as soldiers for three years. As a matter of fact, the positions _you would sleep in_ were an art form Bertoldt. I'm not kidding, we all loved waking up to your contortions in the morning, used to predict the weather with them." Jean told the lanky boy, but his voice grew heavy and shaky as he went further.

" _How'd you do it Bertoldt?_ Must not have had a care in the world, lying beside your victims... _yet you slept like a log!_ " his voice breaking and Bert tries not to say anything back, the guilt growing harder. Annie can feel it eminating from him like steam from his Titan, and She too starts to feel it growing heavy on her. The words cut through her barriers like a heated blade through butter, and it gets worse as Connie speaks up again. She and Bert flinch a bit at his voice sounding just as desperate as before.

"Was it all just an act to you? What about the way we used to talk about surviving this together? About growing old looking back on the worst of it over drinks? Remember? Was that all bullshit? Answer me!" he yells out to his former friend inside, and continued with an even more hurt tone than before "Go on, what was the point? What were you trying to do?" His face was in pain and despair but he's pulled from it as Mikasa cuts across him before those inside could respond to any of the words.

"It doesn't matter anymore, focus on cutting open the traitors neck. Hesitate for a moment and we forfeit Eren. Who cares what they _pretended to be? This was their choice!_ " She growled out to her comrades and they stayed silent, stunned at the coldness of the tone and the harsh reality of just how truthful the words were. They couldn't remain like this the entire ride, both sides would be made to make a choice. The shifters know what they have to do, but they would try not to cause any more casualties than they need to. Sure the scouts would try to kill them if given the chance, but they wouldn't hurt any of their friends unless they absolutely had no choice. The rest of the 104th were on the other side of this moral dilemna, faced with fighting and possibly killing their former friends who some turned out to be two of Humanities biggest threats. But they didn't want to kill people they grew close with, but like Mikasa had said, time was wasting with neither side doing anything about it.

At this they all, Annie included, hear something they weren't expecting. Under the weight and stress of everything he's done being brought up Bert begins muttering and then started yelling out to them all.

 _"Who_ _who_ _WHO_ _DO YOU THINK ACTUALLY WANTS TO KILL PEOPLE?! TELL ME!"_

They all look shocked at the loud response, even Mikasa is taken back by it. None of them minus Annie from earlier ever heard the boy shout or even speak above a quiet nervous tone. The change actually disturbs them all from their thoughts as they listen further to Bert's confession of sorts.

" _What do you think I am huh?! What?!_ _You think this is what we aspired to be?!_ People loathe us, and why wouldn't they? We're _**monsters** , we deserve to die for the things we've done_...but we did _what had to be done._ Being hated by an entire race even before we did those things is pure darkness, try to imagine that feeling. The only time that was enjoyable after it was our brief time as soldiers. _It was **never** a lie! Do you understand?_ Connie, Jean all of you! We're not who we said we were, but it wasn't an act! We genuinely thought of you all as our friends.

I'm not stupid, I know _I have no right to ask for forgiveness_ but... _please. I beg of you_ , if we were comrades... _someone find us._ Learn the truth, free yourselves from this hell. Let us leave to save our people, and I promise...that we'll return the favor back. It's the least that we can do for what we've done."

They all stay silent after Bert finishes his pleading, confessing to them what he doesn't have time to fully explain. Only one person knows the truth and that's because James told her, Sasha. He waits for someone to say something, the loud footsteps from Reiner echoing in their ears. He's heard the whole thing, and his head tilts forward a little as the words go through him as well. It's affected him to the point that had his friends not been armed, he would've had ymir or even himself grab them and kidnap them as well. Keep them restrained until they could reach Eldia and learn of the truth.

Finally someone speaks up, just not as he would've liked. "Give him back. I won't ask again." Mikasa says, her voice empty of emotion, and Bert replies with his voice shaking a bit. "I'm sorry, I can't." She feels her anger rising but he continues and they listen, his voice getting heavier.

"One of you has to do it. One of you has to _stain your hands with my blood...and everyone else's who'll suffer if you stop us here."_ but before anyone can say anything about that morbid resignation a louder voice shouts out from below on the left side of the Armored Titan, a Garrison soldier riding on horseback having recovered from the Dancing Titan's defensive move earlier.

"Guys! Get down from there and take cover!" Hannes shouts out as he looks forward in fear. "What the hell's Erwin doing?! He's off his rocker! _Look!" Everyone looked_ ahead and there, 70 meters out was a _horde_ of Titans being led by the rest of the scouts. Boh and small, abnormal or not they all charged, chasing after the rest of the scouts they'd split up from before Historia's kidnapping by Ymir. And in front with a fierce and determined gleam in his eyes, was _Erwin_.

" **The** _ **lunatics leading the the Titans straight for us!"**_


	90. Clash-Charge

**Here we go! I recommend playing the same music they used for this scene in the anime:** **APETITAN** , **aka the Beast Titan theme used in the first episode and in episode 11. Bit of a pov change but we'll head back to our favorite shifters head soon enough. Hope you guys enjoy. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Charge_.

Everyone including the shifters stared with wide eyes at the Titan horde heading directly for them, with Erwin in the very front of the formation with the rest of the scouts. The man had a determined gaze that was aimed right at the Armored Titan, and the pair made eye contact as Reiner began counting just how many there were. He growled as his mind came to a inescapable conclusion, unable to see another solution with what he has to work with.

 _'There's over 4 dozen_ _in that group, and I'm going too fast to turn without losing balance. There's no way around this, which means I have to go **through** it. Damn you Commander Erwin!'_ Reiner took note of everyone still looking at the incoming group in fear unmoving, and he tried speaking aloud with worse words than Ymirs Titan, but it's all he could manage. Even if they weren't on his side, he still has to save them, and right now that means he must get them away from the horde coming at him now.

" ** _GGG-Gggoooaaa!"_** came from his jaws, and everyone looked at him in suprised confusion. Seeing that they didn't understand, he growled in annoyance to Ymir to give a better translation. " _Ymir tell them to get out of here, we have to go through them! There's no other way!"_ Ymir's eyes widened but she quickly complied. ' _This is gonna turn the into hell real quick._ ' She thought.

With a better jaw to work with, Ymir spoke much more clearly than Reiner, even if her voice had that echo to it. **"** _ **All..of you..go! We're going...through...Titans! Get..out of here now!"** _ The Dancing Titan told the group only to have the message repeated by Hannes who shouted out to the group.

"Jump damn you! _GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE!_ " as the Titans were less than 30 meters away from them all, their footsteps starting to grow louder and louder. Finally they all came to their senses and sprung into action. The group took heed of the words and fired off quickly from Reiner back onto their horses which were still being lead by Hannes group. They all got back safely enough, though Armin actually missed his mark but was uninjured. Reiner growled as his jaw plate closed to protect his mouth and his eyes glowed for a moment, and Erwin prepared to give the next set of orders as his group neared the Armored Titan. Ymir held onto Reiner's shoulder tighter, and Historia and those inside his hands braced themselves as their nerves skyrocketed.

"Squadrons _break_! Make the Titans scatter!" He called out, holding out his arm to disperse his troops to go _around_ the charging behemoth, and soon enough the only thing nearing the Armored and Dancing Titans were the mindless ones Erwin's group had lead. The scouts were now in the clear far away from the soon to be chaos. Reiner readied himself and began lowering his shoulder while clutching his precious cargo tighter without hurting them. The pounding footsteps got faster and faster as Reiner began picking up more speed to give them a better chance of pushing through and not being knocked over in the process.

And then bone, flesh and hardened skin all meshed together in a moment of complete insanity.

The pounding footsteps became a thunderous crash as Reiner finally collided with the Titans with a mighty roar, the sounds echoing across the land. A few of the smaller ones were thrown into the rest of the mindless from the sheer force of the impact, a few outright flew high into the air before smacking ahd slamming down onto the air. Everyone looked at the scene in shock, not having prepared to see something like this at all. Reiner pushed through, knocking and trampling over a few larger ones but as he finally got clear of the group he lost his momentum because of a small 3 meter which grabbed his left shin and slowed him down. He fell to a knee but once more tried to get his torso back up again, but he was too slow as he was still shaking off the feeling of collision.

Much to his dismay a couple more smaller 4 and 5 meters grabbed onto his legs, weighing him down as more pounced on him and held him in place as he struggled to get free. Historia who was still clinging on to Ymir's hair shaking off the shock of impact, screamed in fear as a 12 meter who was on Reiner's right side reached for her with a sickening hungry grin. Ymir saw the beast and snarled out _' **Historia**!'_ before the brunnete stabbed her hand claws into the titan's eyes and blinding it before she swung around its neck to kill it. She and the Titan fell back from Reiner with Historia was still caught in Ymir's hair. The duo nearly crashed upon the poor girl but luckily the blonde fired her cables into a nearby tree to clear the ground. Ymir was underneath the nape of the beast and quickly tore it out with her jaws as they both crashed to the ground.

Reiner couldn't move his body even a meter in either direction from how many Titans clung to him, and he began to struggle harder. His eyes widened as he tried to quickly think of what to do, it felt like how they were nearly tackled attacking Wall Maria years ago by the horde Annie accidently attracted by carrying them there. Back then he'd had to protect her while Bert broke the wall, but here Bert couldn't help him because of Eren, and Annie's still too weakened to shift and fight for a little longer. It means he has to do it by himself, and right now things weren't in their favor.

 _'Or do I? No, this time I can call for backup!'_ Reiner thinks as his eyes widened and remembered that he has another ally for the time being. ' _I have to call James!'_

Reiner quickly dropped his jaw plate and began screaming aloud in distress, as loud and far as he could. The sound echos across the battlefield and the plains, and Reiner keeps at it for a good 10 seconds to ensure that his fellow shifter could hear it. He has to be close by, he wouldn't be far from Annie when she was the only person besides Ymir who he doesn't have a grudge against in their group. He'll come, Reiner is sure of it. Just how fast remains to be seen as he continues to struggle and protect his precious cargo from the tians holding him in place. He has to hold out until then.

Farther away from the scene Jean is watching with wide eyes, just like when the armory wall was breached by those two Titans in Trost. "W-what's going on? Is this hell?" He asks to no one in particular as he and the rest of the scouts watch where they sit on horseback. Suddenly Erwin comes riding up in the forefront of the group of paralysed soldiers. He held up a sword as he answered Jean's question. "Not yet, _but it will be!"_ He raised the blade higher to gain all of their attention and shouted out "All soldiers charge!" Everyone looked at him in disbelief as he continues on.

"We've come to he moment of truth! Mankind's fate is decided _Now_! There is no future in which we reclaim these lands without Eren, and _there never will be!_ Go, recover Eren from the Armored Titan and retreat!" He slammed his sword handle to his chest in a salute to humanity as he declared " **YOUR HEART AND SOUL TO THE CAUSE!**!" He pointed the sword as he charged towards the Armored Titan, and immediatly they all began to spring into action. They followed the man who'd just inspired them all by giving a hearty speech, even if the very idea of charging into this melee seemed like pure suicide. Mikasa charged first much to Connie's dismay "Mikasa wait!" but he too fell in line and gave a fierce battle cry as they charged forward.

From the somewhat safer distance of a nearby hill a trio of the mps Erwin lead watched the soldiers charge with dumbstruck expressions. One commented with disbelief heavy in his voice "This is _madness_ , the scouts have taken one too many hits to the skull.." but one of his fellow mps shouts out in distress at something past him. "Look out!" He turns and sees one of his comrades get picked up and gobbled in the mouth of a 8 meter titan on all fours, it's mindless grin scaring them as they never seen one up close before. The pair flees from the beast as it finishes it's meal and looks at them for more.

Inside Reiner's hands Eren was still bound as he ceased his struggling, trying to listen to the battle happening outside these armored confines. _'What's happening out there?! UGH if only I could see!'_ he thinks, worried and frustrated that he can't do anything because he's tied up. Reiner too is frustrated, he hasn't heard a response call of any sort for nearly 2 minutes now, which mean James might not have heard it at all. In that case _he_ has to get them out of here. _'I can't move..and unless I can shake these Titans or James shows up, it'll only get worse. Nggh okay then!'_ He started to drop his hands form Bert and Annie and started to bash in the heads of the Titans who then reached for them. ' _Heads_ _up you two, brace yourselves! That's it, just a little more!'_ Reiner thinks as he takes down another trio and he can feel the weight beginning to lift from him. He keeps swinging his fists into faces, also using his elbows to break any arms trying to wrap him up.

Far back the scouts notice the change of situation, and Jean is the first to say it aloud "It's working! His hands are down!" Mikasa readies her blades as they headed faster towards Reiner, towards Eren and growled out "Now's our chance!" Jean looks at her in disbelief before saying to the clearly motivated girl "Mikasa _you can see those Titans right?_ I mean I get it, your strong but that's one helluva mess! Slipping through isn't going to be easy!"

Ahead of them Erwin held out his right arm and signaled to keep going but split up so they won't all be taken out by Titans at once. "Advance!" He calls out but not even a second later a crawling abnormal 5 meter clamps it's jaws down on his open arm, lifting him into the air, much to everyone's horror. One of the scouts cries out in panic "Commander Erwin!" But to their suprise the man's next words are not what they could _ever_ have expected, and frankly it held them in place with wide eyes and dropped jaws.

" _I SAID **ADVANCE GODDAMMIT!** EREN IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU, **DO NOT FALTER!**_ " Erwin shouted and he pointed his sword forward to charge instead of fighting the Titan who held him like a cat would a caught mouse. Armin and the rest charged onward at Reiner obeying the man's orders, and a handful of scouts left the group to recover and resue their leader. The scouts and Garrison all gave it their full as they rode through the gauntlet of Titans turning their attention from the Armored Titan to the newly approaching soldiers.

Many were dodging and weaving as best they could, but in such chaos it was inevitable that there would be many casualties. In the panic horses crashed and hit other horses and the soldiers upon them, or were stepped on by Titans as they tried to grab at the humans. Armin, Jean and Mikasa and the others pushed through to reach Reiner, but Sasha and Connie split to find and recover Historia.

However as the groups near their respective targets a loud set of footsteps is heard from the left side of the plains, which was covered in a forest of large trees 80 meters away.

And the loud piercing roar that came with it.


	91. Clash-Backup

**Alright sorry for the delay, just been working in my other two stories as well as a new one I've been thinking of that's a Ymir oneshot. Also been binge watching Miss Kobayashi Dragon Maid. Loved it, and might do a story of that in the future. Let me know if you guys and gals would like to read that. If so I'll write for that near the end of the month, or possibly early November. Well there's nothing else much to say really, now heading into second half of the episode Charge from season 2 of the anime. _Surprise ending_. Please drop a review and tell me what you think. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Backup._

The rumbling but definable footsteps and loud roaring eminatting from the left flank caught the attention of everyone as they went to carry out their own tasks with more spring in their now scared steps. They looked at the trees with fear and a dreading sort of anticipation as they knew whom they would belong to, although Sasha, Historia and Connie were relived to know _He_ was fine. She and Connie were closing in on Historia's location as they turned away from the loud and pissed sounding shifter coming towards the battle that was taking place. Reiner looked towards the area with desperate hope because their help had arrived soon enough to even the odds.

He wasn't sure if he could last much longer as more Titans tried bringing him to the ground. But He still fought as the steps got louder, and he could see trees being thrown out of the way, meaning James _wanted to fight_. Hopefully he'd be content with slaughtering the mindless and wouldn't try to attack him or Bert out of anger and respect the law about shifters.

Even the Titans looked over momentarily to the spot where the sound came from, curious as to what was making the loud sound, wondering perhaps if it was food. And much like the day of the 57th expedition when the scouts were struck with fear at a sudden betrayal, _He appeared_.

James came charging from the forest, roaring loudly as he quickly assessed the battle before him, not slowing down. He could see every one of his family and friends surrounded and mixed in with Titans. But he'd been expecting that from Reiner's distress call, and so he had been roaring as he approached in order to try and draw the Titans away from him and the others to make things easier. So far it did grab the attention of the dozen or so Reiner was still fighting off, but it wasn't enough for him to break free.

James continued his fierce call as he neared the mindless currently overtaking the scouts, and slicing at the nearest titans throat and nape, which ended it and grabbed the attention of a few of it's fellows as he got within range of them as well. The few scouts who he'd unknowingly and unintentionally saved didn't react to him by attacking him, and James didn't spare them a glance as they tried to get further from him. Just less things to watch or foes to squash if need be. If _they_ chose to let him be, then he would let them live.

But he wouldn't just let them get between him and Annie or the others, he still has a role and people, _family_ to carry out. And right now that role was backup. However before James can get to them, he has to make sure Sasha and the others are alright. He also has to free Reiner so he could keep running or distance himself far enough for him to transfer the shifters and Historia, who James didn't see at the moment, and nor did he Ymir. But once he located them he would use his flight to get them all out of here. _Then_ _he could snatch the others he wants to take._

But one thing at a time, otherwise things get complicated.

He distanced himself to an emptier part of the field and let loose a deep warbling screech which grabbed the attention of Titans currently streaming from the woods and those who were still feasting. They beganumnering their way over, so it wasworking, just not as effective as he would like.

 _'It isn't enough to get Reiner free, but it'll have to do for now.'_ James thought as he slashed at the nearest Titans throat, spilling crimson blood onto his claws and the grass below him. Then he pivoted and delivered a high downward kick to it's neck, breaking the nape and decapitating it at the same time. More Titans began to close in on him from all sides as he continued his brutal brawl with his instincts gaining control.

Elsewhere on the battlefield Armin and Mikasa were getting closer to Reiner's now exposed chest area, and they got support from a trio of scouts who managed to follow them. As they tried to get closer by during their lines Reiner smacked them out of the way and they fell screaming into the Titans who were still on him. He protectively put his left hand to block Annie and Bert from anymore cables but enough to move and fight Titans as well.

Bert held one of his swords at the ready to defend from Titans _or scouts_ if he absolutely had to. Annie had both hers out and was focused on protecting Reiner's nape in case scouts tried sneaking from that way, and she kept at her task of cutting away Titans hands to free Reiner faster. They had to get moving before more show up.

"No, we've come too far, done so much to just give in now. _Eren is coming with us, whether you like it or not. We're all going home!"_ Bert steadily declares as he cuts at a titans fingers, his confidence and need to save home giving him the strength he needs to see this through.

As if she had heard it personally, Mikasa came flying in from the left side of Reiner with both of her blades drawn, aimed at Eren's retraints as well as Bert's head. At the last second he fired forward while staying attached to Reiner in order to dodge her attack and she flew right past him. But for some odd reason to her, he looked like he immediatley regretted doing it.

Mikasa was frustrated that she missed but confused as she hears Bert shout out to her "Mikasa behind you!" and saw Eren struggling more as His and Bertoldt's eyes widened at something behind her. Mikasa began to turn and felt her stomach drop as a 12 meter grabbed her roughly in it's hand and squeezed a bit. She felt something break and cried out in pain, which those close by heard, including Jean.

The two tone haired boy angrily launched himself from his steed towards the Titan with both his blades drawn. " _Get your goddamn hands off of her!!"_ he shouted and stabbed it deep in both eyes, causing it to drop her as she tried to get to safety. Jean went to catch her but she regained her senses as the pair watched in awe as _Erwin_ arrived out of nowhere and sliced at Bert's chest. Bert had been too in shock of seeing Mikasa grabbed that he hadn't seen the blonde man appear, and neither had Annie. In the confusion of the moment Eren's restraints were cut and he fell, and Bert's chest was cut deep. But Eren was quickly grabbed by Mikasa as she gritted through her pain. _'I_ _have him, now we have to escape_ She thought while Bert watched with fear plain on his face at failing.

Mikasa tries getting Eren as far away as possible from the shifters, only to hear Reiner give roars of defiance after her. She didn't have to turn her head, though she did, to know that he was calling out to James, who currently stood in a mess of body parts and the dead or dying Titans he's severed them from. Hopefully he'd be too busy to do anything but his head _did_ snap up at Reiner's call before turning to face her, his eyes narrowing. Eren saw the quick exchange and told her to free him so he could fight, or to ride faster which she chose instead of risking him getting taken again.

James watched the pair retreating from him and knew he wouldn't be able to reach them. _Not yet, anyways._ There were still too many on him, so he was going to have to do something _very risky_ to stop them. He rapidly searched for a small titan, hissing in success as he finally found one. His hands quickly grabbed the 4 meter around it's head and he pulled his arm back. He threw it as far ahead of the two as possible, cutting off their escape route.

He let loose a challenging growl to get it's attention as it rose up and drew it closer, _which effectively blocked Mikasa and Eren from getting away._ To his satisfaction they slowed down, but he pitched another small Titan to block their path again as they changed direction. However there were still _more_ titans streaming out of the woods, and none of them were small. They were all just under his size at 15 or 13 meters, which means that strategy he developed was short lived.

 _'Damn, why are they coming to me from the woods, but Reiner's still pinned? Dammit!'_ James thinks as he continues his massacre, trying to free _himself_ this time to grab Eren and Mikasa before the large ones get to him. The two wouldn't put up a good fight, Eren hopefully wasn't able to shift, and Ackerman looked too injured to try and annoy him. This was all going way off plan, it's just turning into more of a mess than it already was.

He won't be able to get free for a while, but Reiner _does_ have less on him than when he arrived. This time he calls out in a warbling roar to Reiner, giving him quick instructions to stop the two from getting away. " _Throw the smaller ones in front of them, block their path until we can grab them! I can't get free just yet, you have to do this one Reiner!"_ His ally gives a small nod and growl as he struggles to grab the nearest small titan he can find, and with more force than James used, tossed it high towards them.

Eren and Mikasa barely ducked below as _another_ titan flew though the air towards them. But they crashed forward when the horse stepped wrong in a hole in the ground, knocking them to the ground. Eren struggled to get free, and saw Mikasa struggled to get up. Her body was badly injured from when she was grabbed. He got closer, trying to help her up as best he could. "Mikasa, are you ok? Can you move?" She barely nodded before grunting in pain, and he tried to plead with her.

"Mikasa, free me! I have to shift and protect you!" but to his dismay she refuses. Shaking her head, she raspily spoke in urgency and pain. " _N-no, we have ngh..have to get you-ah!_ _out_ _of here"_ But they don't have a way to escape, and the dirt from Reiner's actions takes them from sight of anything that isn't 14 meters high.

It was then that that they heard large footsteps close by, and a Titan slowly came for them. As the dust cloud cleared they both gasped in shock. It _was_ a Titan, a horribly familiar one from _5 years ago._

 _It was the titan who nearly killed his mother._


	92. Clash-A Smiling Reunion

**Alright I know I ended on an odd cliffhanger, and before you giys start question just how the Smiling Titan is alive when I wrote about James saving Carla in chapter 2, it'll be explained as we return to his pov. And yes it's identity _will be the_ same, and will also be explained later on in the story. Hopefully you guys will like how I tie it all in together. Well drop a review if you liked it, tell me your thoughts. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Smile._

Jean and Armin were riding to Eren and Mikasa's last known location with rigor in their veins, this was going from really bad to worse as _another_ Titan flew through the air towards their location. They turned and expected to see perhaps the Mauler once again doing the throwing, but to their surprise it was _Reiner's titan_ this time. " _He's_ tossing Titans now? That son of a bitch has gone berserk!" Armin was too shocked at this sudden development "What's Reiner doing, _doesn't he care if Eren gets eaten if they need him?!_ "

Elsewhere Ymir was currently was heading for the leader of the scouts, the person who's really pissed her off at the moment. " _Damn you commander Erwin, we had this all planned out! Why'd you have to go and screw it up?!"_ But to her frustration a mindless titan was approaching her target, and she had no choice but to tackle it herself. She claws it's eyes out and it groans in pain, and she took the chance to rip it's nape out. Unfortunately it landed on top of her, and even worse she heard that sweet voice that she's been searching for since this all turned to shit call out to her.

"Ymir! Connie, Sasha over there!" Ymir's ears heard the two following and Connie's response "I see!". Ymir freed herself from under the dead body on top of her and went to intercept the three, the commander gone from her mind. Ymir _has_ to protect her, and the other two as well. She knew she'd face literal hell from James if she allowed them to be hurt near her when she can keep them safe. The three of them then turned tail for some reason and Ymir followed harder. Were they leading her somewhere?

Erwin was currently getting back up off the hard ground, clutching at his severely injured shoulder. After freeing Eren he'd thought he was about to be killed by the Dancing Titan who had been looking to attack him, only for it to kill a mindless Titan who got near him first. It puzzled him and spooked his horse enough that the two had crashed into the ground. As a few mindless began looming closer a few of his soldiers came to his aid, cutting down the beasts and allowing him to get breather before he decides to push on. One of them looked to him, shouting out for his orders "Commander?"

He grit his teeth as he gave unexpected orders to the man, clutching at his wound as the pain went to the forefront of his mind. "I'm not your objective...Don't waste time on someone who's replaceable. _Retrieve Eren and go.._ " but as he looked up to the man nearly half a dozen meters away, he saw the soldier being swallowed from the chest up by a crouching titan, his arms and legs flailing as he was bitten down upon. The limbs stopped with a sickening crunch as their owner was killed, and for the first time in a _long_ time, Erwin's mind felt numb at the sight.

 _'More dead because of me, will it be worth it if we do succeed today?'_ he thinks as he readies his blade to defend himself and the few men who came to his rescue as they fought off Titans closing in on them.

 _5 years_. 5 long years that smile has vividly haunted his nightmares, imagining his mother being eaten alive in the most gruesome way possible. Eren and Mikasa watch as the very titan who he thought devoured his mother before her unlikly rescue strolled closer to them. It's grin was fully stretched from cheek to cheek, and it's dead eyes stared right into his heart. It looked at him as if it knew and remembered personally who he was, and Eren felt cold, pure fear in his veins for the first time since waking in that Titans stomach in Trost.

The beast drew it's right hand back to swipe and grab him and his sister, but her first reaction was to get up despite the pain in front of him. She told him with pain heavy in her voice as the limb swung towards them " _Get_ _down!"_ The hand was in full motion and they prepared for the blow, only to not feel anything at all. _Someone blocked the hand,_ grunting in effort as he kept it just barely at bay, and Eren and Mikasa's eyes widened at who it was. There was no mistaking that shade of blonde hair, or the Garrison symbol on his back.

 _It was Hannes_.

Eren could only say the first words that came to mind as he watched the man who just saved his life shove the hand away before cutting it. " _Are you insane?!"_ But Hannes didn't hear it as he yells and slices off two of the Titans fingers, including it's pinkie. It backed off at the sudden loss of it's fingers, but it's smile did not leave it's face. It backed with confusion and Hannes took the moment to respond to Eren, but his voice wasn't angry, or afraid. Not at all what the two would've thought to be told.

 _It_ _sounded_ _excited_.

"Can you believe this luck? Crazy right? This is the least that I owe your mother for leaving her for dead years ago, it's what I should've done then!" he shouts before firing his rig to circle the beast, not immediately striking it's nape. Eren and Mikasa could see that he wanted to make the creature suffer, because Hannes had felt just as useless as Eren had before James delivered his mother to the two of them on that day.

He'd called himself a coward, tears coming from his eyes as he abandoned a good friend of his that he believed was doomed. And even after she was indeed saved and escorted to the boats, the next time they all saw each other in the refugee camp Hannes had overwhelming guilt strong enough that motivated him to act and become an actual soldier. He no longer behaved like the drunk guard he'd been most of his life due to the ever deceitful peace the walls _had_ provided. He got more inclined, took his job more seriously, and even gotten higher in rank during those 5 years before the second attack at Trost.

The remaining scouts were trying to rally themselves in light of the Mauler titan drawing the attention of incoming Titans, and began to coordinate their attacks once more. Ymir was lead by Historia, Sasha and Connie as they began to slice Titans down while making sure the rest of their comrades were alright.

Armin was currently dragging an unconscious Jean back towards the safety of the scouts, the boy had been thrown when a dying titan collapsed right in front of his horse. The impact threw his horse and him forward when he took a nasty hit to the head that left him cold and unable to defend himself. Armin had gotten off his horse to drag his friend as far as he could, by smaller 2 and 3 memeter Titans tried to come at him. He used his sword hand to keep the beasts at bay till he finally got to the scouts shaky regrouping center.

James was nearly free by now, and so was Reiner. The two had been killing as many Titans to free themselves as fast as possible, but James was able to use his slimmer built form to twist and get out quicker. It also helped that he didn't have to worry about passengers well, not _yet_ at least. But he will soon enough. He used his height to try and regain sight of his targets, and spotted them about a dozen meters from a titan that was being assualted by a single soldier. For some reason he felt a sense of familiarness as he took in details of it. Then it clicked, and his eyes widened.

He's seen this one _before_ , back when home fell. _This titan_ was the same one he saved Eren's mother from. _But how?_ _Didn't he-?_ James quickly recalls that day, and begins moving forward as he tries to remember all of it. _'I stabbed this one through it's eyes and threw it's head away...but I never actually severed the nape. This bitch grew her entire head back. It must've slipped away to heal when I was mourning, before I reentered the city to rage. It's actually quite eerie seeing it again, like a blast from the past. All four of us, that titan, and me running towards Eren and mikasa. Like Deja vú.'_ James thinks as he begins to get closer, and now he wants to _finish_ the job. He's _never_ let a kill get away from him, and he isn't going to let this one either.

Eren was still pleading with Mikasa to free him, he has to fight. He can't just sit there and watch, _he has to do something._ He has to face his nightmare right in front of him with it's ghastly grin calling for him. "Free me! _I have to be the one!_ ** _Please Mikasa!_** _Do it!"_

She grunts as she cuts the ropes on his hands and he stands up and back from her to transform. Eren brings his hand to his mouth and bites down viscously.

But something's wrong.

No flash of lightning, no angered roar signaling his lust to fight. All he's done is draw blood, and feels sharp pain in his hand. He looks at it in disbelief and tries again.

Nothing happens.

" _Huh?! Why can't I-?"_ He bites down even harder, and cries out in frustrated pain as his blood flows harder. His hand isn't even steaming, and he looks at his palm with something akin to tramatic shock. _'I_ _can't do it._ _I_ _can't shift._ '

Eren then watches Hannes slice through the ankle fo the smiling titan, bringing the beast to it's knees with a yell of victory. But then it all goes wrong as Hannes is grabbed in the Titans right hand. Eren and Mikasa both gasp in sudden horror at the sight, but Eren keeps trying to shift. He bites down even harder into his hand, deep cuts spilling his blood to the ground below.

 _'Transform goddammit! Don't let this be for nothing!!'_ He thinks as Hannes is pulled closer to the grinning face of his demon, struggling to break free but some bones were broken from the force of it's hold. Nothing happens still as Hannes is now _3 meters from the opening maw,_ and Eren is about to see him get devoured when a piercing screech blasts his ears.

James arrived in time to latch his jaws onto the neck of the titan who got away years ago. He's also saved the soldier who was grabbed, and James felt another flash of knowing as he saw the face. _It was the man he gave Eren's mom to and escorted to the gate,_ the Garrison soldier who turned tail. So this all now, the attacks he'd seen the man inflict on James prey was what? _Redemption_ , repaying a debt? Doing what he should've done years ago? James didn't care, but he felt odd at this. It was like a reunion.

 _A horrible reunion from Hell itself._


	93. Clash-Scream

**T** **his chapter I've had a few _very_ interesting ways of doing. I ultimately settled for this one, but if you guys want I'll tell what the others were in the authors note of future chapters. For James titan voice use Tony Todd's voice in Transformers RotF or a male version of Eto the Owl from Tokyo Ghoul. Despite what I write in the last half of this chapter, I'm _not_ an eremika shipper. It's nice to think about, but not my cup of tea. There be a different but major moment mentally and spiritually (kinda) for James at the end of the current arc. Hopefully it'll be written clearly enough as to what it is exactly, and I'll explain the inspiration behind it in the authors note, as well as what music to play to while reading it. ThatOneEyedKira, your easily gonna notice what it's from, and I hope you enjoy. All I can say for now. Well as usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Scream._

James sat on his haunches staring at the two, and for some reason felt an unknown feeling of the world around the three to be completely gone, nonexistent. It was just them, well _4_ of them but the Garrison soldier was not apart of this buisness. He was merely a bystander to such affairs, and James paid him no mind. _James has won._

He snapped the Smiling Titans arm off and gently deposited the man groaning in pain, most likely from broken bones or ribs to the ground. James wouldn't harm the man, unless of course he decided to foolishly attack in his injured state. Since the possiblity was very unlikely, he focused on his two injured and trapped little targets. He took his gaze from him to the two who he'd once considered family, friends, brother and sister. _But no more._

They chose their path, just as he chose his. It was time to finish this, even if he doesn't want the boy to come. It's simply what was required and insisted by two of his fellow shifters, and the boy's stubborn pseudo sister _just_ _had_ to get in the way once more.

The pair stared at him with a mixture of emotions on their faces, on one hand they were more than grateful he saved this man. But on the other they wanted to fight or flee from him because he was their stalker, their predator as they tried running to safety. They simply stared at one another, James and Eren's eyes were locked on each others, electric blue vs blazing emeralds again. Just like in Stohess.

But this time there would be no fight, no resistance. Because the fight is _already over,_ and Eren's lost once again, only this time James hadn't offered to settle this without blood being spilled. It was far too late for that, _far too late._

' _Eren_ _couldn't transform if the bloody shape of his hand is any indicator, he can't-'_ but he stops midthought at what he'd just analzyed. He replayed it again.

 _'He **can't** transform, he couldn't transform. It's just like..like when we first met. He couldn't save anyone again!'_ James eyes go wide for a moment at the thought, and realized _that_ was the reason behind all this familiarity, why all of these beings were here today. Eren and Mikasa, the soldier and the titan, and finally himself. Just like 5 years ago Eren couldn't save his own mother, and though the circumstances were quite different, the parallels to _this moment_ were the same.

James had to save someone Eren couldn't, while he and his sister were helpless like they were years ago as children. _'Children. Exactly what Eren said he wasn't, and yet just now proved that he **still is**. Oh this is is **just too perfect**_!' James thinks as a somewhat sadistic grin slowly makes its way to his face, and the three people in his audience look at him with fear and anticipation. He begins to chuckle inside his own nape, and the action soon shown by his Titan form as well. They all just stare at him at a loss for words as they know their cornered. The hissing begins to turn into full blown laughter. A raspy laughter that is heard across the battle field by all but no attention is given to it.

Eren stares in angry disbelief at the laughing titan form of James as he throws his head back and gives that hideous hiss of a laugh once more, and Mikasa recalls it being even more gleeful than when he revealed his wings in Stohess. _'Why is he laughing? Because we can't escape? If so then why doesn't he just grab us and be done with it?'_ Mikasa thinks to herself before she winces in pain when Eren shouts at the Mailer titan, getting angry at the utter incomprehensible nature of the situation.

 _"What's so goddamn funny you bastard?!_ If your gonna gloat over having us trapped then stop it! I'm not going to just take this laying-" But much to his surprise the laughter immediately stops and James comes closer to them, still on his haunches. He points one clawed finger right at Eren, bringing the digit close enough to push him back on his ass. Eren angrily gets to his knees and goes to stand up and yell at the son of a bitch when he hears something odd.

It's a raspy, broken voice with a reverberating echo behind it much like the laughter, but it's understandable enough to them. It doesn't sound normal in _any_ way, its like the demonic and primal voice that he heard James have in Stohess before his head was obliterated. When his own berserk side came out protecting Annie, he claimed to destroy the world and those Eren cares about if he were to kill her. A moment of utter insanity woven in a damn near obsessive declaration of love for the girl.

And it's coming directly from James own grinning and bloody maw.

 ** _"Chiiiiuuulld. Weeeakkk. Youuu aaarrrre stiiilll...Chiiiillldd."_**

Eren, Mikasa and a barely awake Hannes are all at a loss as they hear the words. But Eren understood them first, because he was called them no more than an hour ago by the same person in front of him. James was calling him a _child_ again, saying he was weak. And the worst part, is Eren was starting to see it.

 _He_ _was right,_ _James was right._

Everything he said back in the forest was true. He wasn't able to save Hannes when he thought the man would die. He couldn't shift to fight and kill the Smiling titan himself, and James took that chance from him by killing it. But had he _not_ shown up all three of them would be dead, and it would be _his_ fault. He had to rely on others because of his lack of ability.

Because he couldn't be strong, because he was still a child.

Eren fell forward on his knees with his eyes widening at the revelation, and tears began to stream down his face. But what disturbed Mikasa and Hannes was that _he starts laughing._ An insane laugh of mirth that grew into one of absolute despair as he began shouting aloud. He didn't appear to be talking rationally, but to himself it was crystal clear.

" _Look at you!_ _You haven't grown up one goddamn bit! Your still just as useless as you've ever been._ _NOTHINGS_ _CHANGED!!_ " Eren screams out loud, and they all get a look of his face, crying out in deep pain inside. _Emotional pain._ He continues in a broke voice lower to himself, but Mikasa hears it as she's right next to him " _I'm sorry mother, I still can't do anything. No matter how hard I try I'm just a worthless little kid..."_

Mikasa hears the words of despair and glares with teary eyes at James titan form, but he gives her an odd look. She stares right at his eyes, searching for whatever he's thinking when the Mauler gestures with his head towards Eren, his eyes showing dark humor with that sadistic smile still on his predatory face. He then speaks again, but Eren doesn't hear it in his state, and Hannes is starting to succumb to the pain of ribs being crushed, but painfully tries sitting up.

 ** _"Telll Hiiiimmm...Truuuuthhh."_** James hisses out to her, and Mikasa looks at him in puzzlement until he again nodded his head towards Eren. Then it all makes sense, she knows what he's saying.

' _He wants me to confess, because he's about to take Eren away. From the scouts, from Humanity, From Me._ ' She thinks and looks at him with wide eyes that threaten to release tears before she realizes what she must do. Something she's wanted and yearned to do for **_years_** , but never had the courage to. Everything she's faced, and yet she's afraid to do something _so simple_. She crawls closer to Eren to comfort him, pushing her pain aside completely as she focuses on this one crucial moment.

"Eren stop, _that_ _isn't true_." Eren looks up from his sobbing at his sister, and notices immediately that her face is different. It's _softer_ , something he hasn't seen it look for so long, not since the night he saved her. She has some tears coming from her eyes, and a small sad smile as she speaks to him again. He's unable to say anything as she tells him something she's held in for so long.

" _Thank you. I've been meaning to tell you that, for fighting, for always standing by me. Thank you. For pushing through, for showing me how to live with purpose._ _I'm grateful. My scarf...for always wrapping it around me, thank you._ " she holds said cloth up with more tears coming form her strangly happy face. Happy that she's finally told him the truth about her feelings for him. Their faces come closer, Eren is still in shock at her confession, of love _for him._ He's close enough to feel her breath, see he tears in more detail, and that look of utter kindness in her eyes. He's almost on the verge of kissing her, but he feels the overwhelming sense to _protect her instead._

 _He won't let her or him be separated. He has to protect her, just like his mother said. But he feels this before rembering her words to him so long ago. **He** _**_wants to protect her. He WILL._**

Taking a breath he swallows and rose from Mikasa to stand in front to her, facing James. He turns to her face with probably the most determined face she's ever seen on him, and he sees that she watches him with wide eyes. _She needs to be reassured, to know._ And though Eren is the least knowledgeable in _this sort of thing_ , he manages to convey his feelings to her in his own way.

"Mikasa, _I_ _will always wrap your scarf. Always and forever, that's a promise!"_ Eren declares as he faces James once more, unable to see how the word affect her, how they sent joy through her frame. Eren's hand fully heals now, and he makes a fist, and raises it as James reaches his hand out to grab him, satisfied with it all being done.

Eren yells as the armored and clawed hand came closer to him, it's owner wearing a smirk at the futile gesture. But Eren doesn't stop, and gives a fierce yell as he sends it at James.

 _Then something incredible happened._


	94. Clash-The Coordinates

**As you can tell from the title, shits about to go down. Shout out to ThatOneEyedKira for the reviews, the pms and ideas as well as being able to read his story, a Tokyo ghoul one called Our Saviors. I highly recommend reading it, it's quite great and has constant updates! I'll _also_ be doing one in the future. Hope you guys enjoy. This arc _officially ends _ in 2 chapters. Drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-The Coordinates._

James sat there staring with amusement as Eren pathetically struck his right palm dead center, as if it would have any effect on the armored hand. The boy stood there with his fist still touching his hand, and James was ready to give a chuckle when something _odd happened_.

It was like the feeling when one transformed and felt the surge of lightning rush through their body. The sensation flashed quickly through the minds of every shifter there, Reiner Bertoldt and Annie, Ymir and finally where it originated from, _James and Eren_. James drew his hand back a meter as if Eren's hit had actually moved it, and he began to look at Eren with puzzlement in his eyes. The boy in question glared even harder at James, but he knew that something had just happened, _something he didn't understand._ Neither shifter could see a lone 14 meter that had been coming from the woods to feast suddenly changed course.

James watched with his head cocked to the side in confusion as Eren stood up and prepared to once again hit him though his hand was drawn back from the boys reach. Eren didn't stop and raises his fist while yelling once more, a fierce yell of anger and defiance, unaware of the approaching titan from behind him. As Eren swung he saw James look up with surprise in his electric pupils as a titan tackled him to the ground.

James quickly got over the surprise of being knocked down and bit the Titans face clean off to the back of it's skull before getting back up, only to see something that made his eyes go wide. _'No, he's done **it**. He's LEARNED HOW TO USE IT!' _ He thinks as he starts piecing it together with an increasing sense of _fear_ rising up inside him. Eren looked behind him as he grabbed Mikasa on his back and helped Hannes to his feet. The older man was needing a hand as his ribs were injured bad, but he still stayed alongside the two to protect them. But as the trio looked behind them they saw nearly _every titan in the area was charging at the Mauler._

Everyone else on the battlefield was startled as the Titans they fought all left and _ignored_ them to head towards the Mauler who gave a shriek of defiance and shock as he was soon surrounded by their mindless maws and reaching limbs. James roared and snarled angrily as he fought and killed his foes but was still taken to the ground. His armor protected him from their bites just as Reiner's did, but the weight of so many Titans made it hard to get up, try as he might. He ripped, bit and tore whatever he could get his claws and teeth on, but with so many Titans on him he couldn't move as much as he needs to do any major damage in dwindling their numbers. _He's stuck. He's losing._

Mikasa was the first to say anything as they took in the ensuring chaos of blood and bodies merging. " _Why_ _are they, what's_ _going on?_ Their **_all_** trying to eat him?!" Elsewhere and much farther back Ymir was with Sasha, Connie and Historia and they watched the scene before them with stunned expressions. Connie spoke up as he grabbed the reigns of his horse "Don't know, we have to go now!"

Sasha immediately protests against him yelling out in fear " _Are you insane?! We_ _can't just leave him like that!_ _He's being eaten!"_ she screams but she sees the look on his face as she says those words. It's one of pain, one of resignation, one of _guilt_. Sasha realizes that he already knows everything she said was true, and sure enough he says it with his voice heavy with guilt.

" _I know Sasha, but there's nothing we can do._ The best we can hope is Reiner gives him help or Annie shifts to fight too. _I'm sorry Sash, I really am, but we have to go. We can't do anything to save him_." He tells her, his eyes barely holding back tears. Her own are worse as tears openly flow, but she knows he's right. _There's nothing she can do,_ and she follows him and tries leading Historia as well, sobbing the whole way. _'I'm so sorry.'_ She thinks as she takes one last look at James, who's fighting for his life with everything he has, and doesn't look back.

Ymir watches the chaos brewing over there where James is, not trying to listen to Sasha and Connie's conversation but she hears it anyway. _'So that's what this is all about, no wonder Reiner and the rest didn't want Eren to know where they were going or wanted to persuade him instead. They're afraid of him using that on their people. I'll be dammed, but what should I do now? Can I really just follow Historia to the scouts and hope for the best? Or will Eren and them remember what I've done today and only see me as a threat?'_ Ymir frantically thinks as she follows the blonde without making her decision.

James manages to rise to a half crouch with all the Titans on his body, and he spots Reiner and the others coming to his aid, ignoring Eren. _No, they need to stop **him** from escaping with that power!'_ James brings his head above the tangled mass of bodies and desperately screeches loud to Reiner. " _NO FORGET ME! GET EREN, HE CANNOT BRING THAT POWER BACK TO THEM! CAPTURE OR **KILL HIM NOW!"**_ Reiner's eyes went wide at the words but obeys them, knowing just how serious things have become.

He turned to the left and began to head for Eren and Mikasa along with the hobbling Garrison member instead, much to Annie's protests before Bert told her they have to stop Eren from escaping. She understands but she still watches with wide eyes as James is once again pulled under the sea of titans. If she were able to shift she would've already jumped off and transformed to help James. But since she can't, she can only watch with tears running down her face as the person she loves more than anything continues to fight for his life, not even able to move properly to inflict as much damage as she knew he was capable of.

 _'This isn't good, why'd things have to be this way? Why did the power of a Coordinate fall to HIM?! Unless we stop him or take it, we're finished! No two ways about it. Of all the people in the world that power could've gone to, Eren is by far the worst!'_ Reiner thinks when Eren suddenly stops and faces _them now_ , his face in a rage. He yells out " _Get away from us!_ " The shifters all feel the surge of power once again, and they flinch hard at the sensation. They hear him shout at them "Rat bastards! _I'll kill you where you stand!"_

Reiner stops in place and sees that a dozen and a half of the Titans swarming James break away and violently run towards him and the others. All three of their eyes go wide as Reiner brings his fists up to fight them off, but most of the mindless are about his size, maybe a meter or two smaller. _'Son of a bitch! Bertoldt, Annie! I can't protect them like this!'_ He thinks frantically as he tries bashing in skulls without throwing his friends and passengers from his body.

Bert and Annie are trying to hack and slash at the Titans that get too close to them, but if Reiner doesn't get free from this _he'll_ get tackled as well. And this time they would _all_ fall, there was no back up to call. James was barely managing to keep fighting with how many Titans were on him. Farther back Eren and Mikasa are watching the second group of traitors with still confused eyes, not getting how this is happening. "What the hell is going on?" Eren asks aloud and Armin arrives bringing a second horse alongside his own. "Eren! Can you ride?" The blonde asks him and is relieved to see his friend nod, and urges him and Mikasa while he grabs Hannes and slings him on top of his own horse. "Then hurry!".

Erwin, who's recovering from the shock of these recent events the fastest starts to think tactically about the current situation. ' _This may be our only window.'_ He thinks before ordering aloud while holding his other sword high to be seen. "Soldiers _Retreat!"_ Everyone is following the man as he leads them all away from the battle while they have the chance. Connie and his team are about to regroup with the others before he notices that Ymirs _stopped_. Historia and Sasha are watching her as the shifter stares at Reiner and the rest with a look of internal struggle.

Connie shouts out to her "Hey ugly get with the program! We were given an order!". Ymir ignores him as she thinks.

 _'Can I really abandon them? I have to protect Historia, but if she's on Erens side, and he has that power...then there might be a future for **her** inside the walls._

 _But not for Me._

 _I_ _know there's someone who could give me one **out there**. Someone who'd spend it with_ _Me_. _All I hav'_

Ymir makes her choice.

As Connie shouts again to try and get her attention, she ignores him and Sasha. Both are wondering why she's not following anymore, but they see that she gives a long look at her fellow shifters before turning her gaze to Historia. The blonde however just watches as Ymir turns to her and reaches out to wrap her hand around her body, gently tapping her head with her finger. In her echoy voice she tells the girl 3 words that both bind and separate them.

" _Please..forgive Me."_

Historia gasp a little as Ymir pulls back her hand before turning and pounding across the ground towards the Armored titan. She cries out in shock "Wait! _W_ _hat are you doing?!"_ and goes to follow when Connie blocks her "Let her go!". But the blonde protests, crying out " _But she'll be killed!"_

Bert panics, trying to get back as a titan repeatedly snaps it's jaws, reaching for him when a clawed hand stabs and shoves the hungry face away with a snarl. " _Get away from him!"_ He looks up with astonished eyes to see Ymir on Reiner shoulder, and inside his nape the blonde boy's eyes widened too. Annie barely pays attention to the new arrival when she sees the mass of bodies on top of James stop moving, before being flung in all directions as _something rises_.

She and the other shifters as well as the retreating scouts all hear the next noise that echos across the fields, louder than anything they've ever heard before for most of them. Only those from the Stohess Raid can start to recall hearing a sound like _that_.

An insane screech that demands bloodlust.

 _The berserker side of James mind has awoken yet again._


	95. Clash-Connection

**Now the largest chunk of last chapter was Eren using the Coordinate on James and the other shifters, however it also ended on a cliffhanger that was probably not expected. But be assured that James _does_ have the Coordinate as well like I stated way back in chapter 2 and a few times in the Trost Arc. You'll just have to read and see how things go from here. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Clash-Connection._

Annie and everyone else watched and covered their ears as the insane screeches James blasted across the land, and to their surprise the Titans did not get back up to attack him. In fact they did the complete opposite, they began attacking _each other_.

Reiner and Bertoldt watched as the mindless Titans that once overwhelmed James were now eating each other instead. He stood at his full height, his fists clenched as he took in the carnage with glee. Annie seemed to be more relieved than stunned because she had seen this side of him once before, and knew it would never harm her. _That_ she was sure of, despite the appearance. But Reiner, Bert and Ymir were all shocked at the state of James body, they've only heard about him going crazy, but they've never actually _seen it._

James is still at his same height and build, but there are blue lines that crackle and line his armor and skin. Along his skin there are flames and steam rising, as if his entire body were giving off a massive amount of heat, making him seem just as demonic as when Reiner and Bertoldt saw him first shift in Trost. Ymir is more unsettled by how James face looks, for someone who was just nearly eaten he seems to be _enjoying_ the bloody tangle of flesh being consumed around him. His armored skull stayed the same but his dreds are moving more vibrantly, and his eyes... _they couldn't see them._

 _Where_ James eyes once were are two glowing blue beacons of light. In short to all of them minus Annie, he looks like monster, a demon straight from the darkest hole of hell. Something that was not to be approached with anything less than absolute servitude and respect, something that every living thing knew in the back of their minds to be afraid of.

And that demon was now looking _at them_ , before giving a bloodcurdling roar and lunging towards them on all fours. The movements were unnatural to say the least, but virtually unstoppable as he heads for them with blinding speed. The Titans holding Reiner in place slowly turn to face him and James leaps at the nearest one and bites it's head clean off. The rest of the Titans ignore Reiner and the others as they let go of his armored body and move towards James.

James welcomes the attention and stands tall like a king, letting loose another loud screech which makes the Titans stop. The mind boggling sight that then took place made them drop their jaws, even Reiner's plated one and Ymir's crushing one opened in sheer astonishment. _The titans_ _all_ _bowed their heads,_ before turning to each other and once again fighting themselves. In less than a minute only one was left, and it dropped to it's knees before _offering_ it's nape to James, who promptly grabs it in his hand and tears it off violently but without struggle. He holds the flesh in his hand to observe it before tossing it in his mouth and swallowing, the blood staining his grinning maw. The sight is unsettling to them, even Annie can't look at him without some small sensation of fear being running down her spine. But she has to fight it away, ' _T_ _his is still James.'_

Then the next creepiest thing today happened, James spoke once again to them all, but _clearly_ at her first as if he'd read her mind.

" ** _No need to be afraid Annie. I will never harm you. All in same boat now."_** They all look at James with wide eyes before he turns his head in a predatory fashion, as if a hawk spotting a rabbit running about. Reiner body turns as he too looks to where James focused his gaze on, and all of the shifters see the still retreating forms of the scouts. They seemed to be unaware if this new development, and James begins to move towards the fleeing soldiers. As he passes by the awestruck group he gives an order to them " ** _We must stop Eren. He cannot be allowed have that power. Follow and retrieve or Kill him."_**

Reiner whines low in protest " _James we can't catch them, they're too far. And we can't kill Ere-"_ but James faces him with a snarl and glares at the blonde who dared speak against him. Though his pupils were still not visible underneath the blazing light eminating from his eye sockets, Reiner's own eyes dropped in fear and out of respect as the Mauler looms closer to his face. James growls as he repeats his _orders._ " ** _I said Follow. NOW. Must save Home from him!!"_**

Reiner looks at him as best he can, but he understands the insistence to give chase. If Eren didn't _know about that power or how to use it_ and did all that he's done today...their people wouldn't stand a chance if he _does_ learn how to _control_ it. The only hope they would have is James, and if he wants to retrieve or kill Eren... _then so be it._ He gives his fellow warrior a small nod and satisfied, they make to take off after the scouts with renewed vigor.

But before they move James looks to Annie, Ymir and Bert before growling out **_"Stay."_** The two don't say a word and quietly accept the words, but Annie goes to protest despite his current state. "I'm not going to leave you like-" but stops when she hears the huff and sees the look he then gives her. It's not anger or dominance like he'd just done Reiner and the mindless, instead it's one of pleading and insistance Ordering, but still she sees a softness in his expression and he hisses gently at her. " ** _No. You WILL stay back, but you may follow. Not risking You._** "

Annie doesn't know what to say, so in the end Ymir grabs and places the blonde on her neck as she carries Bert and herself off of Reiner. Once she's clear from him both of the Armored shifters take off hard after the scouts, determined to catch Eren. Then giving them a slight headstart, Ymir takes off after them with Bert and Annie holding onto her hair so they don't have to pierce her hide with their cables.

Much farther ahead and unaware of the danger chasing them, Eren is feeling very tired as Mikasa clutches to his back. Her own pain is making it hard for her to stay awake instead of succumbing to rest, but she holds tighter when it becomes too much. Eren doesn't seem to mind as he holds onto one of the arms wrapped around him, his mind filled with so many questions.

' _What_ _was all that back there about? Why did the Titans attack them and ignore the rest of us? Why-'_ but he's brought from his thinking when he and everyone else hear something that makes their heads turn and stomachs drop.

They're being _pursued_ , and in the lead was _James_ in his terrifying glory, his form showing it's berserker side as his eyes and skin glowed like they had once before. Steam and small streaks of flames could be seen blowing in the wind from the velocity in which he was coming for them with. He had a crazed grin that clashed with his predatory features in such a way that they all began to realize they weren't being chased, _they were being hunted_.

The scouts began to panic as they saw the shifter was only _40 meters away_ , and Erwin himself was hard pressed to give out a panicked but suicidal order. "Squadron one! Slow pace and assualt the Mauler titan! Do whatever it takes to ensure the rest of the formation can retreat to safety! The rest of you, _RIDE_ _EVERYTHING YOUR WORTH!"_

Just behind James Eren and the rest could see Reiner charging after them, and farther behind those two was Ymir. _'Damn you!_ _WHY CAN'T YOU ALL JUST LEAVE US ALONE?!'_ Eren's mind begins to froth with growing rage as his tiredness begins to receed for now. He starts getting the itch to fight with those Erwin just ordered to fight back, despite their fears of facing such a foe. But he knows the commander would allow no such thing after all the casualties they'd faced today.

About a dozen scouts slowed their pace ahead of James by 15 meters, preparing their plan to slow down the Mauler titan. But in their minds they all know it will be in vain, that they won't even hurt his hide. But they will attack anyways, to give their comrades a fighting chance at escape.

James begins to laugh darkly as he sees the half assed group of soldiers ready their counter attack to his charge, and merely holds his arms in a good position to take care of them nice and fast. He waits with sickening anticipation as they all foolishly charge straight for his face, though a few do go for his nape as well. _'They never learn_." he thinks carefree, as he spins his body and lifts his arms while jumping, the move seeming insane to try. But more or less the results are the same as his move in the forest after he escaped, as he holds his hands wide and slashes through the soldiers who foolishly had clustered together to avoid his move. _'Bad move'_

Nearly all of them were cut in half, decapitated or otherwise caught by his talons and he spun and began to face the ground once more as he returns to the earth. James rolls into the fall and gets back up running, his hands covered in blood and entrails, and one even has half a body on it before he flicks it off. The scouts ahead who dare look back quickly turn to avoid seeing the aftermath of the scene that just happened. Eren still looks over his shoulder at James, and he sees that Mikasa is slumping over on him. The sleep has taking her finally, and he knows that she won't be able to fight or defend herself. _But he can._

 _'Damn you James! Why don't you-?!'_ But Eren's thoughts stopped by something. Something hot and burning as it comes into his mind, the sensation stopping him cold when he hears a horrific voice tell him " _Why don't I **what** , Eren? **Why don't I What?!** " _Eren begins to realize that somehow, _James is inside his mind._ He responds _'G-get out of my head!'_ freaked out but he hears a surprising reply from the same voice.

" _Fuck you! Your in **My** head! Get out or else!"_ Eren grows confused and tries to shut off his mind from James but he feels a stabbing pain probe at his conscious. Gritting his teeth he tries to concentrate before a barrier breaks, and he hears the voice again, frustrated. " _Well this changes things now doesn't it? I can't break from your head. We're stuck like this! Which means one of us has to go to free the other...and I choose YOU!'_ Before suddenly, the pain they've felt in their lives is _shared_.


	96. Clash-Pain

**Short authors note here, but officially the Clash Arc ends this chapter, just FYI. I actually extended it out by 2 chapters more than I wanted, but I'm more satisfied by how it's ending now. This part will be a little confusing but bear in mind with the mind views, they're actually _memories_ being shared to both Eren and James, however I didn't really feel like writing for Eren's mind during it. So they'll be experiencing it together. We'll see Eren's mentality after the clash arc in about 3 or 4 chapters. James view will be immediately following this one because this moment was more meant for him. As usual drop a review. Let us Begin. Next chapter up in a few days.**

 _Clash-Pain._

James and Eren screamed in unison as they felt like their minds were torn away from their bodies into total isolation before being remelded again, but _differently_ than when they'd been pulled. Eren was unaware that he's clutching the reigns of his horse hard enough to nearly choke the steed as his eyes glowed bright like jewels, but he was fortunately restrained as Mikasa tried to hold him back, despite her own fatigue. Her eyes were barely open as she sees Eren screaming, his body was shaking and his eyes gave off some sort of blinding light. Behind her the scouts are also looking at the Mauler titan who seems to be experiencing something similar, but actually _identical_ to what Jaeger was going through.

James was feeling the greatest mental pain he's ever felt in his life, and held his head between his clawed hands and stumbled about in agony, knocking a few small trees over. _He can't take it, all the shit and places his mind has ventured should've driven him insane years ago,_ _but now he's experiencing it all with even more of a load added to it._ An unbearable amount of mental stress and the creeping sense of his mind being _invaded_ caused him not to think or even control his titan properly, and he lashes out and ends up nearly crashing into Reiner.

All his mind and body can do... _is_ _scream._

 ** _'AAAAHHHHhhhhhhhhHHHHH!'_**

Speaking of the Armored shifter, Reiner too began to feel a hot sensation enter _his mind_ , and soon Ymir and her two passengers as well, much to their discomfort. They try pushing it from their minds but find it's only getting _stronger_ , _hotter_ and soon enough they're clutching their heads in pain as well. Ymir tumbled over and began clawing at her skull while shrieking in pain, Annie and Bertoldt were laying on the ground grabbing their own heads as the pain increased.

It feels like something is intruding into their subconscious, and it's impossible to ignore as their minds now feel like blazing stakes were shoved into their heads. They began to start screaming as it doesn't stop but only amplified, and now every shifter in the area held their heads between their hands, and screamed.

What no one is prepared for nor expects is for _all_ of their eyes to glow, even those who hadn't transformed. But none of the shifters could do anything to even _acknowledge_ it as their minds all seemed to build up more and more pain before finally, it _burst_. And during the time leading up to that burst, Eren and James both shared in each other's pains...and the pains of those currently nearby.

 _James mind, first view_ _, Eren_.

 _He sits in a pool of warmth, the area around him dark and cramped but at the same time cavernous. His eyes open more, and he sees that he's sitting in blood. Gallons and gallons of blood and the bodies of people...meaning **he's inside a titan's stomach**._

 _He screams as he realizes this, seeing the crushed or whole faces of countless people surrounding him. He begins taking to himself, not hearing all of the words but towards the end it gets clearer. He finds himself looking upwards, and raises the stump where his left forearm used to be._

 _"Damn you all to hell! I refuse to die like this! I'll drive them all out, kill them with my bare hands! Do you hear me?! WITH MY BARE HANDS!"_

 _He feels the burst of energy and finds himself breaking free of the stomach, rising from it and standing there hunched for a moment. He opens his mouth and roars deeply at the sky, but a growl alerts him to another presence._

 _He sees the same titan that bit his leg off, that ate Nac, crawling it's way to him before stopping. He steps forward and crushes the nape of the bearded titan, slowly walking towards his next target._

 _"This isn't your world, not anymore." he thinks as the jumper leapt high at his face, but with an angry growl he plunges his fist straight through it's mouth._

 _"I'll kill every last one of you!" He snarls to it as the jumper falls, twitching at his feet. He raises his right leg and brings it down over and over on its smaller body, crushing it to a bloody pulp even though it's clearly dead. "Get up. Get up! Let me kill you again, and again, and AGAIN!_ _YOUR MINE, ALL OF YOU!_ "

 _He looks out across the city and begins lumbering in search of more of his enemies, the bloodlust clouding his mind. But he does hear something though, something he hasn't heard since home fell so many years ago. A blood curling roar, something that demands death in it's wake. He begins to walk towards it, finding an odd sense of comradery in it, that he isn't the only beast in the city wanting to fight._

 _James view two_ , _Ymir_.

 _Sh_ _e feels so tired, but something covers her. Was it dirt? A nagging and insistent urge rises in her head, and she rises from the dirt to see four children. 3 were familiar, but one was not. Not now of course, she knew nothing about them. But unknown to her, one day she would._

 _She_ _lunges at the frozen blonde boy with a snarl, but another dark haired one pushes him away and is grabbed instead._ _Her thoughts mirror the boys as she tries to fight against the instinct driving her body to eat him._

 _'No please! I don't want to eat, I don't want to hurt hi-!' she thinks in frantic horror, but her body does only as **it** wishes. She isn't in control, and hasn't been for about 60 years now. But all that would change with this evil and Savage act, try as she might to not commit it._

 _She_ _raises the child to her mouth, both the beasts and the victims protests falling on deaf ears as she bites down, blood spilling down her teeth and maw. The other children run, but she stays where she is and lays down to rest once again. She closes her massive black eyes and sleeps again, but long after they are gone opens them once more to see a **different** sight. A beautiful one which takes her breath away and widens her eyes, her human eyes. No longer the lifeless black orbs she used for so long and had no control over._

 _The_ _nighttime sky shines down on her, the sky so serene and beautiful that she's speechless. But she has the overwhelming sensation of being **free** , and finds herself laughing as she lays back on the ground. She's finally been granted freedom._

 _She_ _stands wobbily to her feet for the first time in decades, and takes a first step forward toward her new chance at life. She makes a promise to live only for herself, and decides that to keep the very name she was punished for being given. She would not abandon it, not with everything it's cost her to have it._

 _Ymir._

 _James_ _view three,_ _Annie_.

 _She_ _stares at the sky as he falls, her fingers gone from the knuckles down. She'd almost gotten to the top of the wall, avoiding the brutal_ _fight_ _taking place below her between two berserk beasts_ _. One was fighting to protect her, her love, while the other was calling for his and her blood. A demon she had once been friends with, who crushed her face in his anger over her and the one she loves betrayal._

 _Her face was still healing, and she begins to think of the home she was trying to return to and save. Where her father waited for five years now for her to come back. She starts to hear a voice, crystal clear above the carnage she currently falls towards. It's riddled with sadness, and regret. It's his voice._

 _"...I'm so sorry. I don't expect you to forgive me, but please...please just-"_

 _She_ _crashes into the ground, and two unique but terrifying sounds_ _blast in her eardrums. But the voice of the man continues, "Stand your ground! Stand your ground even if the whole world stands against you!"_

 _Sh_ _e feels the earth shake from a massive impact hit the ground, and sees flesh from one of the beasts go flying in all directions. She then hears a declaration from demon to the other being screamed at the now headless cadaver._

 _"IF YOU KILL HER, I'LL DESTROY THE WHOLE FUCKING WORLD AND EVERYTHING YOU LOVE!"_

 _James view four, Bertoldt._

 _He's_ _placed on the ground as Reiner looks behind them all, Annie's passed out in his palm. Far back a horde of tians approaches, some running and others just walking towards them. They never wanted to attract the beasts, but when Annie ran they were given a bad hand of cards by fate._

 _He looked_ _up to the massive wall before him, a monument that stood for a hundred years as a barrier between his people and salvation._ _"Can I, can I really break **that?** " He asks himself, unsure and afraid of failing and of **succeeding.**_

 _Behind him_ _the horde gets closer, and he realizes he has to do it. He has to become a monster to those people on the other side of this wall. The_ _lightning hits him and he places a hand on the wall to steady himself, and peeks his head over top of it._

 _He stared guiltily at the people looking up at him in shock, fear, surprise, terror. It was all there, but his massive eyes locked on two specific places. One was a trio of children, 2 boys and a girl with a scarf._ _The other was a family looking at him with some sense of duty, though the shock still was on their faces at his arrival._

 _An older man aged from many years of hard work, a woman in her prime though she seemed weary in her age. And their two children, a little girl with curly hair...and a boy wearing a ragged cloak over his body, looking at him with fear plain in his blue eyes._

 _He_ _brought his fight foot back, ashamed at what he must do. 'I'm sorry, but..For my home.' he thinks as he kicks and feels the gate crumble under him like sand._

 _James_ _view four, Reiner._

 _He_ _lumbers quickly through the alleyways of buildings, trying not to be stopped by the Titans feasting around him. The screams of the people being consumed will haunt him forever, but there's nothing he can do for them._

 _He_ _has to save his home._

 _He_ _hears roars and screeches in the distance, close to where his goal lies. He sees blood splatter across a building around a corner, and he proceeds with more caution. He steps out from the buildings and sees another of his kind, but this one is far stranger than any he's seen before._

 _He is actually afraid of this potential ally or foe, and is surprised when the shifter tries communicating with him._

 _They_ _weren't words of friendship._

 _They were questions, and then declarations, **orders** to stop. To fail and end his mission._

 _He_ _refuses._

 _Angered_ _words are exchanged between them, and things come to a head as both shifters decide to fight. Their missions as warriors were far different, but in reality they were the same. To protect their homes. Their last words to each other are also identical._

 _"I will not fail."_

 _The pair of Armored Giants roared and barrel towards each other without hesitation, both warriors seeking and promising to see their mission to the end._

 _End_ _viewpoints._

It all ends, the pain branding their minds like a hot iron exits their suffering forms, but departs with a last dose of extreme naseua. They all begin to wearily pick themselves back up, trying to figure out what just happened to them all.

All except two shifters.

James fell down in his titan form, no longer steaming or in his berserk state. For the first time in a _very_ long time, he feels nothing but emptiness. He barely felt the slash on his nape as Annie was finally able to shift to help him, and feels the cool feel of both the outside air and her crystalized fingers as they carefully pull him from his steaming form, unable to offer any resistance whatsoever. He barely whispers two words over and over again to himself and anyone who could hear, thouh with the fast pace of how things were beginning to ho he went unheard by them all.

" _I'm sorry."_


	97. Eldia-Sorrow

**I'm back with a new and hopefully emotional chapter! New story I posted called "One Rung Up" if your into Tokyo Ghoul. We've finally begun the Eldia Arc!This chapter I've had in mind from when I first thought of writing this story. Play the song "Sorrow" (like the title lol) is also known as Rize's Melody by Yutaka Yamada. Sorry for the delay, but I hope you enjoy! ps. the red flowers mentioned are _Red Spider Lilys, which are symbolic of memories_. Drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Eldia-Sorrow._

 _Nothing_.

That's all James mind felt as he lay on the ground, well mentally at least, physically was another story. He _could_ feel softness, as if he were around flowers. His hands were surrounded by some sort of plants as he didn't feel dirt, but it wasn't regular grass either. He could hear water running over rocks, which meant that he was outside somehow. He also heard the wind lightly blowing through whatever he was laying in, so just where was he? In some sort of field? Why did he feel so alone, but _not_ at the same time?

 _'What is this?'_ His asked himself mentally, but no answer came to mind. He was honestly stumped. His eyes were closed but he could see a soft sort of light behind them, however it wasn't sunlight. It almost felt to him like dusk. This light slowly turned from blue to white to red in a carousel of soft and mellow tones. James felt his curiosity grow as he began to finally open his eyes. What he saw made him gasp in awe, something he's never really done but a few times in his life. When he first laid eyes on his baby sister, when he first saw his parents Titan forms. When he first kissed Annie, and the first time they had become even closer, during their first winter survival mission in training. But what he saw before him made him gasp in utter wonder, the sheer beauty and pure shock at the impossible sight before his blue eyes.

Before him was...the _nighttime_ sky? If so then for some reason it wasn't very dark, no, in fact it was full of light. The colors are what really caught his eyes, the vibrant blue mixing with a crimson red, almost like roses. White was mixed in there too, and the sky looked like someone hadn't decided what color it should be, and instead just let it all come together like oil and water mixing. One flowed smoothly into another like it was _actually_ _moving_. It was mesmerizing to him, and he stared at it like a child in wonder.

The sight would've kept his attention if he hadn't felt the wind blow once more, and felt those soft plants brushing up against his skin. He looked to them, taking note of the many colors although the majority were white. But strangely every now and then he thought he saw one of the white ones twist and change into a blood red flower, much different in shape than the white ones. However it was still very beautiful to watch, and he kept watching until he heard a voice calling his name, and it sounded faint, as if it were an echo.

A sweet, innocent voice that he hasn't heard for years.

" _James!"_

It was a playful, sweet voice, and his eyes widened. He looked for the source of it, not daring to believe _who_ the voice belonged to was here. ' _No_ _, that-that's not **possible**.'_ He sat up and looked in every direction, and saw no one around him. Which meant he was alone, his mind wasn't funtioning right if he was hearing things that weren't there, or possible. _He must be hallucinating, thats it_. This whole place was one big dream or something, or his mind had finally broken. _He's gone insane. It finally happened,_ _his weary and primeval mind had finally snapped under the stress of everything he's lived through. And this place he's in is the result._

Of course it was. Why else would things be this way?

The sky didn't look like that with all those beautiful and soothing colors. No flowers changed into other flowers, and he certainly couldn't have heard the voice of his dead sister call his name. But somewhere small in his mind, James didn't _feel_ alone. And that made him keep looking all around in the field of flowers. But still he saw nothing, and sat there puzzled, and now depressed. But then He heard the voice _again_ , and this time there were _others_ calling out his name. "James!", "Son, we're over here!" "James, come here!"

James gets on his knees to get up but is stopped by when he felt something _heavy_ on his hands. "What the-" James eyes widen as he looks to his hands, and saw they were _chained._ He tugs them as far as they can go, which only allows him to sit on his knees. He keeps trying to pull them, but they seem to be anchored into the ground. His breathing starts sounding panicked as he realizes that the chains aren't breaking nor straining, and why wouldn't they? It's not like he was in his Titan form where he could rip stone, bone and metal like tissue paper. No here he only appeared to be in his human body, and he tried inflicting pain to initiate a transformation, but grows more anxious when nothing happens and he's left with a small amount of blood near his knuckles. _'No, NO!_ _I'M NOT GOING TO BE CHAINED!_ ' He thinks, his temper and desperation to be free rising as he then prepared to tear his arms from their sockets. It'll hurt like hell, but he can heal. Well Hopefully, because in this mad land he hasn't been able to do anything like he normally would including shifting, which he perfected before he turned 7 years of age.

"James, _stop_ _that_. There's no need to hurt yourself." a man's voice tells him from behind, and he cranes his neck to look over his shoulder. ' _No, that voice... that's, that's my -'_ James thinks as he finally managed to look behind him at something which makes him gasp in shock and longing.

 _It was his family, all of them. Alive._ His mother and father, and between them was _Eve._ No blood, no broken bodies, just them whole and here with him in this strange place.

They were all watching and were smiling at him. They began walking closer and James tried harder to break free of his bonds, but his mother scolded his behavior but she wasn't angry at her son. He'd known when she was angry, this tone being used was one that she would only use when she grew tired of him resisting or ignoring something he should've already been listening to. "James, I said _enough_. You don't need to do that, please just look at us. Look at me." The last three words were kinder, softer than those before it. He hadn't heard that tone for 5, well almost 6 years now. He'd only briefly gotten to hear them when he returned home, just before she'd been taken from him along with everyone else that day. At the words James felt like nothing but a little kid, the same thing he rubbed so harsh and triumphantly in Eren's face before he had Titans set on him.

He stops and puts his head down in shame for a minute, before looking back up. Now they were within arms reach in front of him, but of course his were bound to the ground. He feels a well of emotions rising in him and barely chokes out "I-i just..I can't believe it's really _you._ _All of you._ Your all here... you're all fine, alive...but where am I? _What is this place?_ "

He watches as his sister steps forward to wrap her arms around his neck, and he tries to return it, but the dammed chains prevent him from doing so. A lone tear made its way down his cheek at the warm sensation he felt at having her hold him, even if he knows this wasn't...can't be real. She pulled back and wore a small smile, answering in her kind voice much like she did when he came home" Your head brother, We're in _your mind_ James. This place, everything in it including us, is all in your head. In You" His eyes look at her in confusion, not quite sure why he isn't accepting it. He looks to his parents, asking them "Is that true? That's what this is? How?" His father stepped forward to answer him, and James saw that his dad looked years younger than he had when he went home. Not as many wrinkles, the fire was still there in his eyes, but no longer dulled. He looked like a healthier man, one who hadn't been forced to accept that he couldn't survive to protect his children.

"Your special son, don't you remember us telling you that? You were the key to saving our people, it's why we raised you as a fighter, as a _Warrior_. Don't you remember?" His father asked, sounding worried that his son would forget such an important thing. Something that both his parents had engraved and disciplined into his growing mind, but something he rejected after a time. And when be did decide to honor and accept that role, it still backfired on him in a horrible way. One that broke his trust and caused the deaths of many, many people. James eyes hardened for a moment, before replying "Yeah, _I remember that part_ clear enough. I remember getting the weight of lives on my shoulders when I was just a kid. Something I wasn't given a choice in, never wanted then and I _still don't_." He spat out and his mother gave a disapproving look to him. She began to speak as her husband looked to the ground in guilt. James couldn't take satisfaction in the act, because he knows it would never truly matter. His father was dead, nothing James could say would ever change the past either.

"And yet look at what you are now. Where you are now, thanks to our decision. Do you not see what you are James?" She says, as if it were presented before him and he was too ignorant to see it. James temper grew more as be stared at her face, her eyes not moving an inch away from his own. Staring him down, just like she could do in her tian form and he went a little too far in training or didn't listen. He replies in a mocking tone that grew hard at the end "What I am? A predator? A killer? _A_ _monster?_ Not much to see is there? That's what I see, and I'm not ashamed by it. So what do _you_ see mother? Aside from your messed up son? The son you and Dad made into a warrior for a lost cause?!"

Her answer was firm, quick and it stopped him when he heard it. "A _Warrior._ Do you not remember that either? Your _own_ words to yourself at your love's questioning? I didn't make you say those words, you yourself chose them. Were you lying to yourself? Everything here is a result of your mind, not ours." He stays silent as he ponders the words, recalling them the night before Trost was breached. Annie's words about a soldiers duty, and his response... His mother was right. Even if he had hated being raised as a Warrior without his knowledge, he still referred to himself as one without hesitation. That couldn't be because of his parents teachings...he said them because _He_ believed them.

He sighs, his anger starting to fade at knowing his mother was right, and the shame of realizing he'd spoken to the two of them in such a way when he should've been begging them to come closer. "You're right, I am a warrior. I always have been, _and... I always will be. There's no changing the past._ But if this is my head, my mind like you say, then why am I bound like this? Shouldn't I be free, like how I am outside of this place?" He asks, still confused about the concept. At his questions the atmosphere seemed to change, the wind died down a bit but felt...colder.

His sister rose to stand back with his parents, and she spoke grimly. "You are chained because _you_ feel bound, in your head and in your heart."

 _'Bound?'_ He's confused by that statement, and questioned "Bound by what?" All three of them then spoke in turns, and his blood ran cold at the words.

"Bound by _guilt._ "

His eyes widen and he refuses to accept that. " _No_ , I don't-I'm not guilty. I-" but his mother spoke then over him and her words made his eyes widen.

"Guilt you deny having, and yet still it drags your spirit down when you are from those you care about "

James began panicking as he sees them changing, skin paleing, blood coming from bruises and cuts that were forming on their bodies. Broken and fractured bones becoming visible, a few jutting out from their skins, spilling more blood to the white flowers at their feet. The flowers changed as the crimson liquid fell on them, becoming more of the strange red ones. The sky was darkening, the bright colors no longer friendly nor mesmerizing but instead _intimidating_. James eyes widened in fear as he realized what they were talking about, this guilt the spoke of. Their bodies were now identical to how they looked when he buried them.

 _The guilt of failure, his biggest failure._

"No! What happened to you is because of Reiner and Bertoldt! _I didn't, I wasn't-_ " he denies as tears fall from his face, his yells getting higher in stress and emotional pain. His sister began to speak over him and he tries to deny his guilt. " _No, stop it! I'm not guilty, it's not my fault-"_

"Guilt of losing us, feeling our deaths were on you even if there was nothing that could've been done." Eve spoke, and he finally broke.

" _STOP IT!"_ James screamed aloud, tears falling as he began sobbing openly at the ground. They no longer spoke, and the silence that accompanied the group was only broken by the pitiful and miserable cries that came from James mouth. The tears which dropped to the flowers below, still as beautiful and soothing as they were before, but now they meant nothing to him. They did nothing to ease the pain he could feel in his chest, in his very being as the words he tried to not think about since the met Annie came from his mouth.

" _It's all **my fault,** I tried to protect you_ _and failed_ -" but James felt warmth touch his face, and stopped. He looks up with a defeated expression on his face, and saw him family looking at him with those sad, sympathetic smiles of theirs. They were no longer like their last moments, but whole once more as they look to him. His sister got close to his face and spoke barely above a whisper.

"Brother, what happened to us _was not your fault._ It was just something that happened, no one person is to blame. Even those who did cause of departure from your life, you know they had no choice in the matter, no knowledge of what would've happened to you personally. _Do_ not continue to hate those who are responsible. They've felt the weight of their sins, you also know this. _You must let go."_

He looks from Eve to his parents and sees a similar reaction, his mother spoke "Your not weak my son. _You_ have the power to break these chains of grief, to protect the one you love named _Annie_. To protect your new family that you've made for yourself because of our absence, but only if you let go. If you can move on, if you can adapt and survive. But if you continue to let yourself remain bound, then _you will lose her as well. You'll lose everything again, and everything you will have lived, fought, bled and killed for will all be for nothing."_

James eyes hardened, his pupils growing small and focused with determination. " _I won't let that happen. I wont let any take her from me._ " He growls, feeling the chains unlatch and fall from his arms. His family smiled proudly at him, and his father said "To fight, to kill is apart of what you are, but to _protect_ , that is something you chose. A path you decided to go down, and if you let your guilt go then you can continue to travel. Now go son, protect her." James rose to his feet and embraced his family as they reached out to him, and he could feel that warmth once again. But it was different this time, it wasn't just a pleasant hearth, it was a burning fire. He let go from the hug and took a step back, his parents and sister watching him as gave a small but full hearted declaration.

"I am...a _Warrior."_


	98. Eldia-Repentance

**Once again I'm back with a new chapter! Now this one takes place during the events of last chapter but a little before as well. Also this one will be longer because thanks to fellow author OneEyedKira, I've figured out how to switch between the desktop and mobile format for the actual website whereas before I always wrote using the app. I will mainly use the app because it's easier but when I reach the word limit for that then I'll return to the site and keep going. Look out for much longer chapters in the future but also having more space between updates. This will be happening in all of my stories and any future one shots I choose to do. Ghoul story One Rung Up will be updated in a day or so after this chapter is up, Web of Hearts should already have one by that time, and Awakening will be picking up more with the arrival of chapter 99 of the manga. Well as usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Eldia-Repentance._

Annie sat panting with James head laying on her leg, everyone else forgotten at the moment to her. Dusk was approaching, and it was finally the end of very long and hard day for all of them.

In the last half hour she'd been running as fast as she could to Wall Maria before finally arriving and scaling it. With her were her fellow warriors and even Ymir who was still awake enough to use her Titan to hitch a ride on the blondes shoulder till they arrived. After that Ymir had taken both Reiner and Bertoldt gently into her mouth and reached the top of the massive barrier before Annie had, before depositing her cargo and exiting her Titan. While that disgusting if somewhat relieving act had taken place, Annie had been worrying about what happened to James and all of them. All she could remember was the burning sensation in her mind building and building before finally busting, and leaving completly.

James hadn't been so lucky, when she finally had been able to shift and get him free he was already passed out, his skin felt even hotter than the usual for a shifter's regeneration process. She held him in her mouth as she ran, not wanting to have to slow down any more than she had to because of Ymir and the others. Right now they were far away from both scouts and high enough from the reach of mindless Titans. But Annie wasn't sure what had occured to them today, but whatever it was is what they've been searching for. James is a coordinate, but so was Eren. The later had returned to the scouts, but Annie doubted He nor any of the regiment would be coming for them. They were safe for now, they can finally go home.

"Whaaa ughhhh what, the hell?" She heard a voice groan, and saw Reiner getting up from his own little blackout. Bertoldt began to stir as well, also wondering what was going on. "Where...are we? What happened, did we capture-?"

"Your alright Bert, you too Reiner. We're just on top of the wall, it's about nighttime now. But for that last part, no. He returned with the rest of them back to the wall. Annie and i carried you guys here, but Eren isn't with us." A voice interrupted him, and his eyes widened as he then looked to the freckled shifter he harbored feelings for. Said girl was laying on her back facing the sky, tired from the effort she put into her Titan these past few hours. True she may have been leery about shifting at all hours ago because of her experience as a mindless, but she was glad she was able to pull through today. The two warriors were alright, alive, and grateful for her now. In truth she actually felt good about herself, taking a small bit of ride that she was someone like a goddess, even if one one person might actually feel that. _It was enough for her to enjoy._

It was good for Annie that Ymir was close to them, even though the girl's current mood wasn't very clear. Bert got what he wanted in the end, even if Ymir and Reiner hadn't been able to have Historia with them. She would be able to explain, because right now Annie didn't feel like talking to anyone. All she wanted to do was make sure James was alright, and judging by the small but noticable twitches in his sleep, he wasn't doing so well. But the twitches were getting less frequent the more she watched, which did mean he might be better in a few hours.

He definitely needed rest, _a lot of it_ , if he was going to fly them to his home and then their village like he'd said. If he wasn't up by morning however, Annie would take up the task. After all she brought her fellow warriors minus Marcel to the Walls, it was only right that she would be the one to lead them away from them. And even then Marcel would be coming with them, in a somewhat abstract way because of Ymir. James would be really the newest addition to their group, because he was already returned to his home when she and the other two arrived. Annie held him closer as he lay on her, his eyes moving under their lids, telling her that he was dreaming. What of she had no idea, but hopefully it would be pleasant and free of pain. The random twitches did take a stab at her moral, but still she hoped for the better regarding his mental well-being.

Reiner began to wipe away the tiredness from his eyes and asked Ymir a single question. "I don't get it, you had the chance to go back with Historia, or bring her with. What made you chose to leave her and stay with us?"

Ymir is still laying on top the wall, staring at the stars beginning to show. "Well...its hard to say really. Normally I'd say because I'm an idiot, but after everything I've seen and heard today, I had to change a bit on my view of things. I'm sorry Reiner for leaving her, but when I saw what Eren was capable of, I knew she could have a future inside the walls. I just want the best for her Reiner, and I know you do too, but right now until things improve her best chance is in there. The scouts will protect her, Eren will too because she's one of his friends. And for coming back..." Ymir trailed off hesitantly, and Bertoldt glanced at the girl, taking not working her now reaching for the sky with her right hand. "Let's just say that I wanted to repay you guys for helping me. If you hadn't come to bust up the wall, who knows how long I would've been stuck as a mindless. My nightmare would've never ended if your friend hadn't been there, but I am sorry about that. I promise you that I never wanted to kill him, or anyone else I might've while stuck like that. But at least someone knows the shit you've been through, even if it is only me and James."

Bertoldt spoke low then to her directly, asking a question that he has the slimmest of hopes of hearing what he hoped for. "That's the only reason why?" Ymir stays silent for a moment before she begins speaking more to him than to the pair, and Reiner chooses to not say anything to disturb the moment. Instead he begins to scoot back to a better spot to rest as he hears ymir say "That's the main reason Bert, but...I knew I wouldn't have a future in the walls with what I did. So I chose to go back with those who could give me a second chance once again, even if the first time they weren't intending to. I thought that maybe...I could repay you for the wasted time I took from you all those years." Bert's eyes actually widened with astonishment, not daring to believe what she was saying. But he also begins to feel guilty of forcing her to do something like that, and get voices it as he notices Reiner isn't near them anymore, and Annie us still occupied with James passed out on her lap.

"Are you serious? Ymir, you should know I would never expect you to do anything of the such. You don't have to repay me in any way for not getting the confidence to ask you out then. Don't go feeling guilty or anyth-" but he's interrupted when Ymir spoke across from him, snarky at first but her voice grows softer. "Don't worry about it Bertie. I'm not saying I'm entitled to being your wife or anything. I'm just saying, you deserve to have a chance at what you should've been shown then. You spoke up for me back in the trees, and for that I'm even more grateful to you for that. But...I'm not saying I don't want to be closer to you, in that way. I always thought you were a decent guy, even if you were mostly quiet. But like I said during our little one on one, you've got guts when you need them. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, you've proven it twice today. Once to Reiner and Annie, and when you refused Mikasa's demand to hand over Eren. I saw that crazy look in her eyes, you held your ground. I guess I'm a little proud of you for that." She finished as she put her hand back to her stomach while the other rested atop The wall.

Bert is feeling a mixture of emotions at her words, from the thanks to the praise, to Ymir saying she wanted to be closer with him for what he's done for her. He still feels tired from whatever power surged through all of their heads today, but he manages to crawl a little closer to her, about an arms length away from where she was laying. He spoke with barely concealed joy at her words to him. "Thank you Ymir, for that. And for doing that for me when you don't have to, I'm grateful to you for it. And your right, your not obligated to be with me or anything of the sort but...I too would like to be closer with you, if you wish." Ymir turned her head to him slightly, and her face was just like it was in the trees. No snark, sarcasm, grim realism of the world around them. Just pure relaxation, a peaceful sort of calm he's never seen on her face until today. Even with the shifter veins visible, to him her face was beautiful, truly that of a goddess. He wonders if she ever had this face before her horrible fate of being a mindless, in her time as a symbol to those people. Or if she looked like this when she was freed from her hell, he would never know.

But what he did know was she seemed to be happy at his choice of words, because then she reached out to him with one hand. He stared at it with visible hesitation, and Ymir snarked lightly to him, but there was no bite in her voice like he always knew her to have. This was a light teasing, but it still was meant to be reassuring to him. "C'mon Bertie, you can't be the biggest Titan ever and be shy. It's just my hand. Go ahead and take it. Let's enjoy the stars for a while, their shining just like that night." Bert didn't need an explanation to know what night she was talking about, and so laid down as well before tentatively, he reached out and held her hand softly. It wasn't that hard, now that he actually did it, but Ymir being herself lightly chided "Took you long enough. Now...Let's rest. Then we can all go home tomorrow." Bert silently agreed with her in his head, and chose to look to the stars

The shifter who became the symbol of fear and death to those inside the walls stared at the nighttime sky with awe as the light being given off by the vast body of stars shone down on them as if it were blessed. He began to see the beauty Ymir must've experienced that night at seeing freedom, and while he knows his and her situation are completely different regarding the moments, he too is feeling a sense of freedom . Because they were heading how after so long with the Coordinate, or one of them. But they only needed one, if today's display was any indicator of how things would happen when they finally arrived at Eldia. Bert was beginning to feel his shoulders and body ease up, his stress fading away as he finally felt peace for once. Andi with Ymir laying next to him, all Bertoldt could feel was peace, and a sense of hope.

Away from the brunette shifter pair Reiner was feeling more neutral than anything. On one hand he doesn't have a chance to be with or explain to Historia about why he's done the terrible things he's done, but on the other he's seeing his best friend finally happy. And not just the happy the felt at being spared from death by James, but happy that he finally could have the person he shared affections for chose to be with him. Even if he's still a little hurt over Ymir killing Marcel, he knows that she would be able to keep Bertoldt happy. The poor guy deserved it for so long if he's really liked her since training, which must've been even more difficult to get through than the actual spying itself. Reiner might be hurting about not having Historia to talk to, but Ymir was right. She could have a future in the walls, at least until he and the rest return to set them free. Then maybe, just maybe, his blonde goddess would forgive him.

Annie wasn't really paying attention to the trio over there, but she did seen Reiner leave Bertoldt and Ymir alone, and both shifters talking to each other before Bert chose to lay beside the girl he cared for. ' _I'll be damned, he actually did it. He got to have his affections returned by the girl who never knew he wished to be with.'_ She began to feel a little sleepy, hut she knew she could last a little longer before it claimed her. As the night began to come into full effect with the stars being out, Annie heard James talking in his sleep. "...I tried to protect you and I failed..." She knew he must be dreaming of his family again, his guilt still evident no matter how much he denied it to her. She knew such pain doesn't just go away, but Annie had hoped it would lessen over time with him choosing his own path in life after Trost. But the next words he begins to mumble caught her attention. "I won't let that happen.." his eyes were still closed but she sees James is no longer twitching in his sleep although he still seemed out of it.

Annie strokes his forehead and brushes her lips across it to try and make him more calm, knowing he did something very similar to her breakdown after Stohess when she confessed everything. She whispers his name once before she feels him relax to his normal way of sleeping. " _James...It's alright. Your safe now, we're all safe."_ Annie lays his head down on top of the smooth wall before she takes off her pack from Dauper. From the few provisions she had packed she pulled out a blanket she found in one of the abandoned village homes and put it on James to cover him. She took out one for herself before placing the pack underneath his head for comfort, then she pulled her own covering on and laid beside him. She was tired, and she didn't care if the others were still going to be awake for a while. Her and her boyfriend have more than earned their rest, and if the others choose to disturb them, well things weren't going to be painless for which idiot decided to wake them up prematurely.

Like Reiner.

She heard the blonde guy walking over to the pair about 10 minutes later, and Annie prepared to break his shin if he went to touch either of them. But much to her and his surprise she heard James voice. "I wouldn't Reiner, she's probably very tired, you should let her rest." He said low in order to not disturb her, unaware she was still wide awake but feigning sleep to the pair. Reiner seemed to consider the words briefly before he spoke then to James. "Fine then, how're you doing? You looked like shit when Annie pulled you out. What happened to you?" At the last sentence James sat up a little but still lay on the ground next to Annie. He then began easing away from her so she wasn't disturbed from sleep, and she was tempted to hold him in place beside her, but held herself back. She sensed whatever the two armored shifters were going to talk about was more between then, especially since she hadn't sense any hostility in James voice like he had before in the forest of giant trees. She would've tried to listen but next think she knew there was another blanket being put on top of her for more comfort.

James finally got far enough form Annie to move without waking her up, and instead put his blanket over her. Then he lightly rubbed her nape with a light smile on his face, but Reiner could tell his fellow shifters mind was occupied by something. He finally rose up and gestured with Reiner to walk a few meters to give her peace, and Annie heard their footsteps begin to fade as they walked far in front of her. Without alerting them Annie slowly turned to see where Bert and ymir were, and to her surprise she saw the pair holding hands as they stared at the sky, unaware of the blonde girl or their two friends conversing away from them. She isn't going to be able to hear Reiner and James, so she decides she'll rest until her love comes back. She just hopes it'll be soon.

Reiner and James both sat down on the edge of the massive wall, looking out into the territory of the land outside the walls James knew all his life. He knows this area isn't close to his home, but it is close to Shinganshina, and the breach. And them. He took a deep breathe and sighed as Reiner sat about two feet from him, and he asked the blonde a question. "Which direction is your guys village? I need to know if I'm going to take us there, be it on foot or by wing." Reiner thought for a moment and rejogged his memory as he recalled details. "It's to the South, and it sits between a cluster of mountains, kind of like a valley. That's what I remember best, aside from my family." James didn't respond aloud by hummed in acknowledgement, and Reiner began to realize he might've gone into a subject best left alone considering what he did to his fellow shifter. "Hey listen James, now that we're here I want to say that I'm-" but before he can get his apology out James stops him, surprising him.

"No, you don't need to do that. I know what you guys went through when you came here, and while I don't forgive you...I do accept you. You and Bertoldt are fine. I...I have to move on. Otherwise things won't change, they'll just stay the same." James tells him, his tone mild but nowhere near how it was earlier when he blocked Reiner's apology. Reiner sat there stunned and turned to look at James, who was still staring out into the open land before them. His face was different, he seemed to be more...Mellow than Reiner had ever seen him. But it wasn't a mellow that just came out of nowhere, something caused it. Whether it was the insanity of today's events or that surge of power they all felt when chasing Eren, it affected James the most out of their group. But before Reiner could voice such questions James spoke once again, his voice growing more familiar with the tone Reiner knew to be planning and contemplating his actions. "However there are a few things that need to be addressed before we arrive at your village. One stop on the way there, and one task to complete. Then we leave."

Reiner's eyes narrowed slightly at the commanding tone of it, but he wasn't going to make a big deal of it. He figured it must be something important if James wasn't leaving until whatever it was he would listen. "Alright then, let me hear it." James looked over at him now full in the eye, and Reiner backed up slightly at the energy he saw in them. He also paled at the words he hears James tell him. "We're sealing the holes. We're reinforcing Wall Maria. And we're going to reclaim my home."

Reiner eyes widened at the words and began to feel jittery of visiting that place again, the city where he and Bert killed hundreds of thousands. Including James family. He began to voice his discomfort at the mention of going there to his former friend. "James, I'm not sure that's such a good idea..." Once again he finds himself cut off as James begins to speak, this time it reminds him of how he was reprimanded as a Titan. "We are going there, were fixing the mess you two created. You said you wanted to help the wall people right? To stone for your sins?" Reiner shakily nodded and James went on. "Then consider this the first step of that. If those holes are sealed, no more titans can wander inside. Little by little the scouts can reclaim all this territory, and our friends benefit . Don't you want that Reiner? To see them being happy, safe, and to know You did it?" Reiner looked to the ground far below him and took a deep breathe to ease his nerves. He nodded and James stood up, reiner following as they headed back to the group.

"Then it's settled. We do this, and everyone goes home."


	99. Eldia-Home

**Hello everybody! I'm Baaaaack with another chapter for Wings. Sorry for the _really_ long delay but with the new style updates will have much more time between them but will in exchange have more content that would usually take up 3 or more chapters when with this I can put it in 1 or 2. Chapter 99 of the manga was _INTENSE,_ that's all I'm gonna say. This will be my longest chapter to date, hence why it's been so long since I updated. My stories will have updates as well if you follow those, and soon enough my Miss Kobayashi story will be up (hopefully) within a week of this chapter being out. I highly recommend playing "Hearing the Heartbeat" by Hiroyuki Sawano, rally captured the feels later on in this chapter. As usual you all know the drill. Drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Eldia-Home._

James stood before the vast territory of Wall Maria, and looked for whether the other shifters were ready to move out. Since his talk last night with Reiner he'd been sleeping close to Annie, holding her with a newer sense of protection even more caring than the one he had before his "family reunion." He had yet another reason to do whatever he found to protect her and the rest of his family, to reveal the truth to his friends. And he will be achieving that goal, but one step at a time. Right now he has to check how everything is going.

Reiner seemed to be in a lighter mood than he's been since the big revelation of him being the Armored Titan. He also might've been relieved not only by he and James being on better terms, but also having the knowledge of still returning to save his friends in the 104th once things settle down. Then again they all still have a ways to go before they can do that task, there is still the Beast Titan and Haired ones to deal with. But once Eldia's defenses were strengthened they would hopefully all be allowed to go back and fix what they did, after all it was the least their leaders could do for them with everything they've had to face these past 5 years. But right now James would settle for reclaiming his hometown.

James saw Bert and Ymir were talking with each other quite friendly, and he thought that Bertoldt might've actually had his feelings reciprocated by the girl. If so great for him if not well, at least they look happy to him. In truth James was actually surprised to hear Ymir left Historia with Eren despite what they did to get her, but he wouldn't hold it against her. If Reiner could agree with her about there being the possiblity of a future for the blonde inside the wall, James would respect it. After all it wasn't his choice to make, even if he still wished he would've captured and brought all their friends with.

But the person he's still very focused on was none other than Annie, who walked up to him with a look of concern on her face. "How are you feeling?" She asked, her blue irises looking at his body language and then his face intently, trying to see if there was anything to decipher. He turned to gaze at her with a thoughtful expression on his face as he pondered her question. After a moment he smiled faintly and responded by pulled her into an embrace which she returned, talking into her ear. "I'm better now that your awake, I know I must've scared you yesterday. I'm sorry about that, but it's something that I...needed to experience, I guess." Annie proceed further as he admitted this.

"What do you mean by that? _What_ _did you go through?_ We all felt it but...what was _It_?" Annie asked slowly and James looked to the ground for a moment, before looking up to her with a wearier set of eyes. Annie started to get nervous at whatever she was gonna hear, or if she had pushed to far too soon. "James if it's hard to talk about then you don't have-" but his firm voice stopped her.

"No."

Annie stopped as he then hugged her tightly and spoke low into her ear "I'll tell you, _but I have to tell the others as well._ What happened yesterday includes _all_ _of_ _us_...and Eren as well... _for the most part."_

Annie's brow furrowed as she asked "So when then? I know you want to move out soon, so when will you tell all of us about this?" He pulled back with his arms still on her and replied "After we complete today's task, then I'll tell you all before we leave for your village. Is that alright?" Annie thought about it before nodding, then she went to tell the others when James stopped her. "What?"

" _Don't tell them, not yet._ " Annie frowned again and questioned "Why? I thought we all agreed to no longer keep secrets." James grimaced as he tried to explain his logic and plan. "We shouldn't let them get distracted, otherwise it'll be the only thing on their minds. We might make mistakes, so I think it's best that we wait until we sea-...reach my home." He tried to play off his pause but Annie caught it, and her eyes narrowed.

"What are you _really_ planning?" She demanded lightly, and she had a sudden flashback to their very first meeting, when he asked her about her reason for joining the military and not believing the cover story her and the other shifters agreed to. Back then she'd been afraid that he saw right through it but she wasn't graced with the same level of knowing when she was lied to, Armin had proved that. _But_ she knew James enough to see he was hiding something from her and it made her angry and disappointed that he was doing such a thing.

"Nothing that harms or cause's us any problems, me and Reiner discussed it last night. Just let it go Ann, it's nothing. I promise." He dismissively said, pleading a little to her but she pulled back and crossed her arms. She wasn't going to be swayed _that_ easily, and she made that clear. "Your going to tell me then, if it's _really_ _nothing._ Now." James scowled and sighed, before telling her "We're sealing the holes." Annie's eyes widened as her arms dropped, now realizing his reason for visiting Shinganshina. In all honesty she should've seen this coming a mile away, but her mind has been too distracted with everything going on around them to really focus on the very little things that would grow into huge ones if not watched.

 _'Of course, that's the reason why. I should've realized it back in the trees, he was still thinking of hair family when we came to the deal about Reiner and Bertoldt's lives. I know we all want to undo what we did to these people but...is this really something he should do? What if it does him more bad then good?'_ Annie thinks and begins speaking to James sin amore neutral tone as opposed to the harsher one she used before.

"James, do you really think that's such a good idea?" James looked at her incrediously and replied in an instant "Of course! Why wouldn't it be?" Annie began to elaborate "It's not that sealing the holes is a bad idea, I'm happy about that. But if you _do_ go back... couldn't the sight of seeing everything that happened there send you over the edge? I don't want you to go berserk on Reiner or Bert if-" But he stopped her dead in her tracks with a firm look of determination on his face, and he shook his head.

"I've already thought about that, and I've _got it under control._ I already promised Reiner that I wouldn't harm him or Bertoldt, I've accepted them as allies, even if I don't exactly forgive them. You can say that I've had a change of...heart, I guess. It'll be fine Annie, you and the others don't have to worry about it, I promise." James told her with a determined look on his face, and Annie looked a little skeptical of that last part. "What happened to you James? _You swore you would kill them,_ and now your really that willing to just put it past you? I'm not angry at it, I'm _glad_ you've chosen to do that. I'm just worried is all, _what_ made you change your mind?" James stayed silent at her inquiries, but he knows he isn't getting out of this. He decided he just has to come clean, even if it'll sound like he's insane to her. "My family told me to."

Annie's eyes widened at his statement. _'Oh no...did he lose it? No...'_ She thinks as she starts fearing for his mental health. She's seen what happened to Reiner and now fear James may be facing something similar. Was he seeing two _realities_ instead of having two _personalities?_ It would explain his mood swings in the trees which before she had just chalked up as pure anger at Reiner and Bert. _Now_ however she's a little scared, that and the odd stuff that happened to them yesterday might've been a breaking point. James sees the scared look in her eyes and quickly elaborated.

"I know what your thinking, what you want to say. _I know they're dead._ I accept that, there's no changing it. But when I was...sleeping, I saw them all there in my dream, and they spoke to me. They told me what I needed to hear, let me confess my guilt and push it aside. I reconciled with them, even if it was just a dream, it helped. It made me... _stronger_ Annie. It gave me a wake up call. So I don't forgive them but...I do _understand and accept them now._ That's all I'm trying to say regarding _that._ "

Annie is still a little wary about this revelation but it's enough to satisfy her for now. But she _will_ be waiting for him to tell her everything along with the others once this day is over, that's a promise. "If that's all that it is, then I don't have to worry about it so much. Just please promise me that when you do tell all of us what happened, don't hide anything. We agreed to that remember? You and me in the trees after Stohess?" Annie tries reminding him and to her relief James nodded to her. "I remember fine Ann, and I promise. I'll tell you guys everything." He embraced her in another hug and once more she returns it with full strength. He pulls back and asks "Are you ready then?" Annie nods and the couple turns to walk back to their fellow shifters, their friends.

Reiner's standing there with his arms crossed staring at the pair, although his boy language says he's relaxed. Jai gave a look to him and Annie saw Reiner nod his head before they all turned to see Bertoldt and Ymir walking towards them. As they get near both Reiner and James can't resist the urge to say something at the peaceful looks on their faces. James was more subtle while Reiner was the one who got a blush out of them. "Well well, dear Bertie grew up and asked the loud scary girl of his dreams out successfully. Good for you two."

"Hm you should've seen them last night, had to walk away to avoid seeing them giving each other goo goo eyes and star gazing while holding hands. _Disgusting_." Reiner finished with a smirk and James chuckled when Ymir fired back at them both. "And _I_ saw you two leaving little Annie to rest while having a little heart to heart far away from us. You two suddenly become _armored lovers_ for each other?" Both Bertoldt and Annie snicker at her shot back at the armored pair. James even allowed a laugh at that, and for the first time in a good while he felt relieved. Happy that they could all joke like this, there was no pure animosity like there was before, it felt like they were back in their cadet days. "Good one fox face, but do try not to let dear Bert go up in steam. He seems to really like you." James snarked and Bert gave a snort at that, understanding the reference to his Titan ability aside from being huge. Ymir then asked "So what are we doing now? You sure your ready to move out?" And Bertoldt follow up with "Yeah James, if you still need to rest then one of us can do the running."

James hook his head at his friends concerned questions and responded to them all. "No it's fine you guys, I'm square with myself. Besides Bert I don't think I've ever seen you run in your Titan form. Reiner Annie or me should run, no offense Ymir but your a bit small to hold all if us." Said girl smirked and replied with a glance to Bertoldt. "None taken, after all if we did use my Titan I'd have to hold someone in my mouth, and you three aren't exactly tasty." Reiner then teased her "So you like how Bert here tastes already? My my Ymir, moving a but fast are we?" Ymir and Bertoldt rolled their eyes although they both also had a faint blush on their faces. Annie elbowed Reiner in the gut and said "Oh shut up you, your just mad cause your the only single one of us right now."

Reiner flinched a bit at that but he recovered fast "Whatever, it's not like I'm gunning for either you or Ymir here. No offense but you aren't my type." Even joking, James could tell Reiner was a bit discouraged at not having Historia here, just like he was sad Sasha and Connie couldn't be here. But he and the others have to push on, they can't be stopped now. James stepped forward and put a hand on the blondes shoulder "Ah don't worry about it. We're gonna see them again. It might not be immediatly, but we will see them. We made a promise remember?" Reiner gave a half grin at his friends words and replied "Yeah, you right. We all made a promise, well Ymir wasn't there but still. I'm sure she might feel the same way, at least a little."

Ymir raised an eyebrow at him and asked "You guys are planning on returning to the Walls?" James and the rest gave small nods, Bertoldt included which surprised her. She questions "Why? There's nothing back there but people who will fight us. You made that pretty clear James, so would you of all people want to go back?" James looks to the others and raised his eyebrows, because they might as well put in their own reasons. Reiner spoke first.

"After Trost happened during the cleanup, Annie Bert and I all agreed that we would fix what we did to those people." Bertoldt began to speak with a hollow tone "We felt the guilt already from the first attack, but after training with all of them, learning that no one in the walls actually knows about there being other people out there, we realized we had done even heavier damage than we thought We thought these people were selfish, and outright hateful of us. They had no idea our kind even _existed_ until Eren transformed."

Annie quietly finished for him "So once we knew about James and Eren being the reason we were here, why we'd done all those horrible things, we swore that we would save our home and come back here to tell everyone the truth." Ymir began to understand then, she had seen all of their faces after Trost, just like she had seen Historia's and the rest. Hell she was even affected by the tragedy, although she wasn't particularly close with anyone who was killed. "I see now, but you seemed to hate them. Why are you going back?" Ymir said after a minute and James then talked.

"I for one made my own oath, and even though I'm not on humanities side I will still make those people's sacrifice mean something. I am going to free our friends, all of them from those walls. I'm going to save my own kind first, and after that I'm taking out those in Mitras." Everyone then looks at James in shock, even Annie hadn't been expecting that. Reiner was the only one to say something "James..." But said boy spoke louder and without any hesitation.

"No, they threatened war on our kind when your village asked for help 5 years ago, right? And it was the royal family who left our people out there to the haired Giants for a hundred years when the walls were formed? _Right?"_ Bertoldt nodded first and the other warriors mimic him, there was no denying it. Ymir just stands there in shock, she knew they were trying to save their village. But she didn't know why or how long they've been trying to save it. "The king did what?" She asked in astonishment and James looks grim, hateful, reminding them of how he was before their talks of peace in the forest. The sight made them all uncomfortable as James continues.

"Exactly. That bastard could've averted those hundreds of thousands of deaths and yet he chose to just keep everything the same as it's been. Their people, our people are fighting against Titans like the one who attacked you at Utgard. But that one you saw was intelligent, it plans it's attacks. It attacked the villages outside the walls that both human and shifter lived in, he started wiping them out. Annie's people sent messengers to plead and beg with the king, but he killed them and threatened that if we disturbed him again that he would wipe our race out. So Annie Reiner and Bert came and attacked to try and draw him out. They wanted the same power Eren and I used yesterday, but the king also has that power, and he refused to give them help.

He's responsible for every one of those deaths. The warriors may have been the trigger, and the Beast Titan was the rifle being cocked. The king and those who follow his example were the ones who pulled the trigger. They shot at all of us, human and shifter alike. And when we go back I'm going to hit them back. Hard. And if you all want to really help our friends and those innocent people who died because of lies, then you'll all be there to help me. And if not, _then I'll do it myself."_

They all look away in reluctance but also shame for not agreeing, but Annie is the first to look back. Her face isn't angry or saddened by guilt, her face is determined. "I'll help you." Reiner and the rest looked at her and she defends herself with a firm voice. "I made a promise, not only to help those people but to stay with James. If that's what he's going to do, then I'll be by his side when he does it. He's right, nothing changes unless we make it happen." Then he turns when another voice joined hers.

"She's right Reiner, as harsh as it'll be it's just what we have to do. As warriors, not soldiers. We fight for people, not a cause that's not right. That's our duty." Bertoldt began low before getting more conviction on his voice, his eyes focused. Ymir smiles a bit at him, she was still right about him. He has guts and the will when he needs it, especially with what James is suggesting can involve lots of death once more. However where the last time it was because of a lie, this time it will be a fight for the truth. Reiner speaks then but he's not afraid of what's being said. "I know that's what our duty is, I just don't want to be seen as monster anymore, I'll help you guys do this but...If we do this we do it the right way." It was then that James spoke, and they were all surprised to see he had a smug grin on his face. The same one he had in hand to hand combat when he saw victory, or when they were doing team exercises and he had a winning strategy.

"Who said we had to fight alone?" He suggests and they look at James as if he's lost his head. "Why the hell are you grinning? Who else except shifters are gonna help us? And that's if they want to help, I'm not so sure they want to help the people who kept them out." Ymir pointed out and James merely said "We ask the scouts. They know things aren't right, or at least two of them do." Reiner raised an eyebrow at his words. "Like who? I'm guessing that section leader we met at the wall is one of them right? The crazy one who loves titans?"

James chuckled and said "Hange, and yeah she is. She seems to be the most aware of them. She can make things change, if she can get the message through to Erwin and the rest, then we can count on them for allies." Bertoldt spoke up then, not wanting to be the voice of pessimism but having to point out the obvious. "Why would they trust us? We're not exactly innocent not allies to them. How would we even try to negotiate that kind of an alliance?" James tilted his head at the question that they were all now trying to answer.

"Because Eren will also help us."

They look at him with confused faces, not believing what he just said. Annie is the one to speak up as she slowly asked "And why would _he_ of all people want to listen to us? You saw what he did when he set the Titans on all of us, he hates us the most. There's no way-" but James cut her off "There is a way. He knows about some of these things as well. I can guarantee he would listen to our plan."

Ymir cocked her head and waits. "Well go on now, don't tease us. Explain." James then looked a bit scared for a second before when took a deep breathe. "I was going to wait until after we seal the gates, but I guess I have no choice now. Yesterday when we all were chasing after Eren, we saw into each other's minds." They all stopped and look at him. _What had he said?_ Annie began worrying again like she had when he said his family told him to spare her fellow warriors.

"You bang your head a little too hard or something? What the hell do you mean you saw each other's minds?" Ymir said and James elaborated "I said we saw into our thoughts, memories as well. I didn't want to tell you all till later, but we both saw into your memories as well. Not _all_ but some of them." The shifters all begin to recall that sense of invasion from yesterday, that burning sensation in their minds that hurt so bad. And how it had finally stopped, as if a bubble had burst. Was _that_ what they had been feeling? James began to recall what he saw to each of them aloud.

"Annie I saw your head when you were falling inside Sina after Mikasa cut your fingers. I heard your father's voice telling you to stand your ground, even if the world stood against you. I also heard myself protecting you from Eren, and what I said to him." At his Annie gasped, and James looked to Bertoldt next.

"I saw Reiner behind you when you had to break the wall holding Annie in his hand. You were scared about transforming, about actually doing it. I saw and felt you kick the outer gate. I also saw you look at all those people just before you did it including me and Eren, I felt how sorry you were. I understand." Bertoldt began sweating visibly while shaking a bit. James faced Ymir next and Bertoldt looked at her as well.

"I saw you waking up and rising from the dirt, eating a brown haired boy while the others ran from you. I saw you waking up at night, seeing all the stars. And keeping your name. I feel sorry for you, but I know you didn't have a choice. You couldn't control it. _Again I'm sorry for what you had to go through._." They all see that Ymir looks unnerved, although Bertoldt was the only one who knew what James was talking about in full detail. And last but not least James turned his somber gaze towards Reiner, who was staring at him in fear. They started to think they knew what James had seen from him.

"I saw you heading towards the inner gate, I saw your fear at seeing me standing there and killing the Titans. I saw myself telling you to stop, to fail in your mission. I saw you deciding to do whatever you needed to in order to save your village. I...Accept you." James finished and his voice was hollow as he said those words to Reiner.

They all knew he had avoided speaking about his sisters death, not only to spare himself the memory but to also spare Reiner the guilt he already had about it. The blonde boy swallowed and nodded, telling James "Thank you...I'm..Sorry. For all of it, I'm so sorry James." They both merely nodded slowly before resuming his talk about before.

"I saw everything, and so did Eren. He cannot deny that he has, because I saw him in Trost when he first shifted inside a Titans stomach. He saw a memory of mine that I won't talk about, because you all know it well enough. So just...Trust me on this. Today we seal the holes and head to this Eldia, and we lay low for a while. Then we come back, fix everything and leave if that's what you want to do when that time comes. _I'm_ not staying inside the walls, I know that much. Annie and I already have plans." At this James snaked his fingers with Annie's and she gave a small smile to him that didn't go unnoticed.

Reiner raised an eyebrow and asked them "So...you two are going _further_ with each other?" They looked to him and slowly nodded and Annie told him "It's not really your business but yes. James and I are going to go further once we get back home, but when we finish repaying for our sins, then we will be free to go as far as we want."

Reiner nodded and Ymir spoke up then, her humor cutting across the light gloomy mood they've been in the past five minutes. "Eh whatever. Just wait till all this shit's done before you start making us aunts and uncles." The pair eyes widened before they both turned away with a blush on their faces. Had they still been facing their friends the embarrassment would've been a sight to see, although both were far from thinking of such a future just yet, for an odd reason James face grew pale after he blushed. His eyes held a hint of fear in them and his smile wasn't there anymore. But he couldn't let that be shown, and luckily Reiner replied to Ymir's snarky comment which took the attention off of him and Annie.

"Oh don't act so high and mighty fox face, like you wouldn't mind having a little Ymir or Bert running around once you find yourself a house with Bertie in Eldia. Lay off the happy pair, otherwise they'll make us babysit, and if their kids are anything like them now I'm already dreading it. Let's just stay focused on today, yeah?" Ymir narrowed her eyes at Reiner's tease but she couldn't hide the red that showed on her face this time, nor could Bert hide the increasing amount of sweat pouring from his face. The freckled girl growled low to herself but enough for him to hear. "I-it's..Not like that..." although she got even more red as she imagined why Reiner had said, but oddly enough didn't find it so revolting nor scary.

Bertoldt cleared his throat and decided to change the subject before things got too off course. After all they need to decide who's running or in James case flying." Anyway...Who's up next? We should start moving before the sun's fully blasting on us. Who's volunteering?" He asked and they all though to themselves about who should do it, but ultimately it's James who stepped forward first. "I think we could get there faster by flight."

Ymir spoke after him, surprisingly. "I'm not too sure I want to be up that high just yet. Odm is one thing, riding your ugly ass hundreds of feet up is another. I can run us but it'll have to be on the ground. Don't want to risk one of you clowns falling off." James rolled his eyes at the insult. "Your not much prettier in Titan form than you are as a human. But I get it if your _scared_." Ymir acted childish and stuck her tongue out at him while he flipped her off without a second thought, basic instinct taking over like in training.

"I could run us but I'd have to shed alot of armor before you guys get on." Reiner suggested and Annie shook her head "You'd run yourself to the ground shedding so much, and wouldn't be able to defend yourself or us well enough. I'm more built for this, I think I should do it." She said but Bert pointed out to her "You wore yourself out pretty bad yesterday when we got here, plus you used too much energy getting us to the trees with Reiner. I know I can't do much because I'm too big and stick out, so I think James or Ymir are our best options."

Said pair thought about it while Annie and Reiner eventually agreed that his suggestion was best, and they tried to convince the other about who should shift. "I can get us there without having to worry about encountering Titans." James said but Ymir was quick to respond with her own advantage. "I can get us there without the danger of slipping and falling off." James grimaced because she did have a point there, but then a sudden thought popped into mind.

"How about we trade off? I do the first run to Shinganshina, then you or Annie can run us to Eldia before you need Reiner or me to take us the rest of the way?" Ymir paused as she considers the compromise, and eventually saw the appeal to it. "Fine, but I swear if you drop my ass I'm gouging your eyes out when I finish healing." James snorted at the threat, knowing he could easily fight her off in a one on one in any form. "I'd like to see you test that theory, but whatever. Do we have everything we need?" He asked of them all, and received a chorus of nods.

James moved away from the group and readied to transform "Then let's move." He said before biting down on his hand. A flash of lightning and some uneasy climbing later and the group of shifters found themselves 80 meters above ground, holding on for dear life as James flew fast towards the southern district where all this began 5 years ago.

...

Once more James flew through the interior of the walls, although this time he was inside of Maria's territory and with more people on his nape then before when it was just him and Annie. So far the flight had been pretty smooth for his passengers, he curled his dreads to form around his fellow shifters in order to keep warm and have something to hold on with. His ears hadn't really picked up any of them talking which meant they must've been preoccupied by the fact that they were all so far up. Not even Annie had been this high up when they escaped Stohess, although she certainly was one fo the few enjoying the view. Forests, small lakes and ponds, even some wildlife. However there also was the occasional Titan or group of Titans they could see milling about in random directions, some heading towards Wall Rose and others just wandering about mindlessly. But soon enough they began to notice their ride was lowering in altitude. It only meant one thing, _they were close._

Reiner was the first to call out anything as they all dropped even further, barely higher than the wall itself. "Heads up! The district's up ahead!" All of their heads lifted up to see from the sudden wind rush to see the vague outline of a massive gate in the interior of the wall. On the other side they could see a massive city and portion of the wall sticking out, one of the outlier districts that attracted Titans to one spot to cut down on defense and maintenance costs from town merchants as well as the Garrison and those living inside Mitras itself. It had actually performed it's job _too_ well, for when the first wall was attacked there were already many Titans in the area aside from the ones chasing after the shifters. Everyone grimaced and readied themselves for what they were about to see now, after all only two if the group were not responsible for what had happened to the once heavily populated city.

The groups altitude was dropping further as James came closer to the opening, and Reiner looked at the gate with heavy eyes as he knew he had caused it's current state. With a slow but oddly graceful landing James latched onto the wall with his claws about halfway up the massive barrier, before climbing down with a steady and careful pace. It wasn't done out of concern for himself, after all he was protected head to toe in armored hide, but for his passengers who were holding on tightly from the bizarre style of landing.

After all they couldn't understand him in this form, a normal landing with so many would've been difficult on level ground, so the wall was his best option without jarring them violently but unintentionally. It only took James thirty seconds to climb fully down before he held both hands to his nape. Annie Reiner and the others all stepped onto his scaly palms and we're lowered to the ground. They looked at James for him to come out but he merely stood and walked in his Titan form towards the inner gate, no more than 30 meters away.

To Annie this wasn't a good sign, if he was going to refuse to join them as a human for this then he obviously didn't want to be seen, possibly if he were grieving inside his nape or not. However she could see no distinct emotion or feature on his face as they walked as fast they could alongside him, since he slowed his pace another for them. But Annie could tell this was going to be a major moment for him, after all he hasn't been back here since it actually happened. James told her he stayed away from this place after notifying as many districts and villages as he could before he headed out to the territory outside the walls. Just how far out he wasn't even sure although he was still within reach of them but not near Eldia itself.

Annie rubs the ring in her finger with a hand, readying herself to shift and defend Reiner and Bertoldt if James suddenly loses control despite what he told her. She trusts him, but for something this serious and emotional she's not taking any chances. Ymir too prepared for things to go south, and although she would mainly be focused on shielding or excelling Bertoldt, she would try and help Reiner as well.

The pair who felt the most fear and guilt stayed silent, knowing that even if James lost control that it would be entirely fair on his part. They haven't even been inside the district they helped destroy since it happened 5 years ago, but already they dread seeing the results of their actions, their sins. But still Reiner would shift and allow himself to take a beating before trying to take James down without hurting him. After all they still have to seal the holes, and it would be very difficult and dangerous if they had to fight off James in possibly his berserker state. Ymir was the only one to break the silence as they got closer and closer to the destroyed entrance.

"So this is it huh?" She asked quietly to no one in particular, and received no answer but James taking larger steps to lead them and everyone breathing. But Reiner stopped when he saw James finally stop ahead of them, about 15 meters from the gate itself. They couldn't see why he'd stopped, whether or not he found an enemy of was having a flashback upon seeing this place, but he looked like he was looking down. But finally he turned and looked to them, and they could see the misery on his face. They then saw _the reason_ for it when he stepped to the side, and all their eyes laid on something strange.

Next to James feet stood three odd pieces of stone jutting out from the ground, even spaced and seeming to be parts of the gate itself. They seemed to have been placed there with intention, not random debris that had merely been clustered together and landed in the same spot. In front of all three markers there was a distinct showing of dirt having been pulled back and dug up before being put back, even if time had withered it down a bit due to the elements.

The group _**began**_ to slowly approach them, trying to figure out what they were when James dropped to his knees without knocking them off balance. He lowered his head to face the ground, and Annie and the rest began to realize what these stones were. And James confirmed it then when he let out a low, sad groan followed by his odd voice speaking 5 heavy but not angered words. " _ **Monumenttt...To all yourrrr sinnsssss."**_

 _They were where his family was buried._

Reiner visibly hesitated along with Bertoldt in getting closer to James and the graves themselves, fear written in their faces as heavily as the shame they're feeling being in this place. But when James looked back up to face them they didn't see hatred, nor bloodlust in his massive blue slit eyes. All they could see was pain and weariness, and even with what James told them earlier the pair knew this was a hard moment for him to face. Annie keeps walking slowly towards him and he lowered his head down enough for her to touch, which she does in order to soothe him. The rest along with her can detect his mood simply by watching his dreds, how they weren't vibrant but rather moving like tired snakes awakening from the winter time. The others eventually come close enough to touch him although they do not out of respect, and instead look to the graves up close now.

The three headstones of sorts were all placed evenly from each other, but two of them were a foot farther back than the one in the center. _That one_ they could tell was his sister, the other two he placed for his parents, side by side. James eyes didn't waver from staring at the spots, and neither did Reiner or Bertoldts. They would keep staring, they wouldn't spare themselves this sight. It was a James had said, true monuments to their greatest sins, just like the city still behind them they must seal.

As if reading their thoughts James then exhaled heavily and rose to stand up as well, but before he made to turn away he spoke one word very clearly, even with his lipless maw of jagged teeth. " _ **Warrior**_." And with that he turned and began to slowly lumber towards the inner gate, where he began looking for someway to plug this hole with. Unlike Trost there was no giant boulder to lift and easily block the breach, but there has to be a way...

He stopped suddenly and the shifters behind him did as well as he quickly turned to them, but his face was different from a few minutes ago. Where before he was grieving and miserable he now has a calculating look to his face, his eyes going from Reiner to Annie. He gestured them all to come forward and sliced across his palm to them, imitating the injury to shift. Annie went to do so first when Reiner began mimicking her, and they stopped as they looked to each other. "I think he wants me to shift Annie, I'll do this one."

The blonde wasn't giving up that easy and replied with a harder time than she needed to "He looked at me to transform, just let me Reiner." She said and both were about to argue when James growled in annoyance to the pair. They looked as he held up 2 of his long fingers and they understood, he wanted them _both to shift._ "R-Right. Sorry Annie." She shook her head at the other blonde "It's fine, we didn't pay attention the first time. Alright let's give each other some distance yeah?" Reiner nodded and saw Ymir and Bertoldt backing up far enough to not be caught in the incoming double blast. The blondes both used their ways to shift, Annie with her ring and Reiner with the same knife he used back in the forest yesterday that he got from Ymir.

As the lightning faded and ended both the Female and Armored Titans stood fully formed, steam rising from their fresh forms dissipating into the cool air. James then gave a raspy growl which was much easier to understand and speak with in these forms. " _Good, we're all on the same page. Now I've got a question for both of you."_ Both of their large heads bowed as they waited but tilted when they heard his question. " _Reiner, can you harden your skin like Annie can? Or fuse your armor together like a shell in one big spot? Annie are you able to do the same?"_ Annie nodded her head and rasped back " _Yes, it would take alot of energy but I can do it if need be."_

Reiner nodded and growled back " _Yes, I can harden my armor together. Not sure if it's as strong as Annie's crystal, but it would be a helluva task to try and break. Why?"_ James nodded and gave a neutral growl in return to the both of them " _Because that's how we're going to seal the holes, you will use your hardening in the gate you broke, then I'll carry you while I follow Annie to the outer gate where she can seal that with her crystal. Then if Ymir still wants to run I'll switch with her. If not we go back to flying."_ The other shifters nodded as they began to see the appeal of his plan, both of their hides and Annie's crystal as well were some of the toughest materials known to shifter and human kind alike. Reiner was able to breach the gate and shrug off cannon fire, as was James since they matched each other in durability. Annie's was able to break their armor if she focused hard enough on one point and gave enough force behind a blow like sh head James on the 57th expedition.

" _Alright, then let's do this."_ Reiner growled as his eyes flashed and his jaw plate closed back up as he approached the gate.


	100. Eldia-Journey's End and New Beginnings

**Okay huuuge milestone chapters wise, I've finally hit 100 chapters! Been looking back and even then I never thought this story would come this far. I'm very thankful to all the reviews from user and guests alike, as well as the follows and favorites. I'm going to apologize once more for the delay, it was supposed to be out by the 6th or 10th originally but I had to work on some of my other stories I put off for too long. Also longer chapters take more time, so expect the next one sometime near late January or early February. This one might also be my longest until the Uprising Arc, but my minimum for chapters now will be about 5k or 6k, not sure for highest although I don't want to overwhelm any of you guys _this_ way instead of frequent updates. Slight continuation of last chapter but this one is mainly the shifters journeying and actually getting to Eldia! We still have a _long_ ways to go story wise before it's finally over, but this story will easily still be around a few months from now. Well you all know the drill by know, drop reviews and tell me what you think of the chapter and the story so far. Let us begin.**

 **Also Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you readers! Hope this update is my late gift to you guys for waiting! Also shout out to ThatOneEyedKira for the reviews as well as ideas for future stories and chapters! You guys and gals should check his work out!**

 _Eldia-Journey's End and New Beginnings._

Reiner was successful in sealing the inner gate using his form of the hardening ability, which because he was literally encased in hardened armor meant he only had to pose and fill in the spaces with newly hardened skin, and James was ready to extract him from his nape by tearing the armor surrounding his neck off. Had James still held such anger and hatred for the blonde he would've had dark thoughts about wanting to go _further_ , but that was no more. _However,_ he couldn't deny that he took a small amount of pleasure in ripping the plates away from flesh, though considerably less than the last time he did it in the battle at Rose

 _Plus_ it was ironic that technically he _was_ tearing Reiner from his nape like he swore to years ago. He just wasn't doing it to kill him, James was doing it to help him reclaim his home. Reiner now sat in his palm with shifter veins visible on his face, and he seemed to be tired. Perhaps hardening took more energy to use than simply shifting and using the Titan form normally.

 _'One down and one to go. It's all up to you Ann. Let's go home my love.'_ James thought and follows Annie through the ruined city, their footsteps being the only sound he could detect in this place. As he keeps Reiner safely tucked near his chest he keeps his ears on high alert, as does Annie. She made sure to keep her head on a swivel as she passed through street crossings, James only about 25 meters behind her repeating the act. So far it was good, but that didn't mean they could relax, even if it was quiet.

The city seemed empty of Titans which was a welcome surprise if it were confirmed, but before they leave he _will_ be doing a fly over to spot any who will be trapped inside here. He would take out stragglers with Ymir's help if she offered, since she had shifted before grabbing Bert and scaling the wall _into_ the city. That hadn't been a smart move on any of the larger shifters parts, because they'd accidentily blocked Ymir and Bertoldt from taking the direct way through the inner gate. He knew she was gonna give them crap for that, but then again he's always ignored her when she tried pestering him back in training.

Though he wasn't sure which way things will go transportation wise to Eldia, he's confident he could do it if he had to for a good chunk of the journey. But it would be nice for Ymir to do some of instead, he could kick back and relax for a few hours while Reiner and Annie would replenish themselves and take their turns. James wonders just how long it would take, because if Reiner was this tired from hardening then Annie would be as well.

He told James it would take 4 days of sparingly using their 3 coming to the Walls by foot, would it be easier with him as well by flight? He almost shook his head at the thought, it was another thing about him he didn't understand. All the other shifters he's met have had to have a resting period even for very brief transformations, while he had shifted more than a half dozen times alone since yesterday morning and still felt fine.

Time seemed to be flying by like the buildings he was passing while staying close to cover Annie. He took note of all the emptied houses, some of them crushed from Titans tearing apart to get at those who'd chosen to hide inside while other were hit by rubble from the blown out gate. Dried bloodstains littered the vacant streets, telling of the countless people who were devoured alive before James could try to help them. He saw small and large fragments from the outer gate lying everywhere, some of them atop of bones long since stripped of decaying flesh by birds and time itself.

Each home he saw crushed or covered with rubble began to bring up memories, very unpleasant memories. He tried shake it off and continued on his way, but he slows down and stares at one building in particular. A building that was nearly destroyed to the foundation, but there was a clear silhouette in it.

An indentation caused by a large Armored body being thrown into it, pummeled down and clawed upon 5 years ago, the body of the very person James holds in his hands now.

 _Year 845, Shinganshina District._

 _James stands at his full height as he heals a broken hand, his other still held in a tight fist. He lets out a chilling growl as he looks to the injury, but takes a bit of pride in the large but healing spiderweb crack in his foes face. Across from him and down a block was his opponent, the strange Armored one who claimed he had come to break the inner gate, whom James asked to stop and later threatened when he refused._

 _When the two had charged and collided, both were surprised at the force their opposite exhibited. It threw them both off that they would be evenly matched when the Titans milling about the city weren't capable of such power. This wouldn't be a simple round of punches and victory, this was going to be an all out brawl._

 _James finished healing and brought both fists to slam on a pair of small buildings near him, roaring a fearsome challenge at the Armored one. The Armored gave a deep roar of it's own in return and brought his fists to his face, a standard fighting pose being his choice_ _as opposed to any unique ones he might have. But no matter, if this invader would not stop this destruction then James will do whatever it takes to win._

 _He starts by working his way over while keeping his body at the ready to duck or dodge. This was another thing that both made this fight interesting but more_ _problematic, how they could match each other in strength but not in personal style. James has the height and mobility advantage, but his foe has the size and_ _seemingly_ thicker _armor. Granted James could dent and break it, that went both ways. If he isn't cautious then **he** will be the one losing limbs and such. **If**. But James knows that he won't fail, he has more skill._

 _And he will prove it._

 _As soon as the hulking pair is within striking distance of each other James makes a sudden charge for the lower stomach area of his opponent, a risky but successful move. The armored pair crashes into a small building and the rubble settles over them before James begins landing blow after blow to the face of the Armored Titan. The Armored lifts his forearms to defend his face and James goes to pull them apart when he feels a hard knee to his right side which knocks him off balance. James goes to rise when he feels a strong hand grab his dredlocks and smash his face into the ground twice, not hurting James at all but certainly pissing him off._

 _James gives a snarl and pulls his head free from the grip, the sudden speed surprising the Armored. James uses that confusion, twisting his body around to try and perform a submission lock, and gets one of his opponent arms in it. He twists hard and hears the Armored Titan groan in pain before bringing his other hand to slam brutally into James stomach. He gives a cough of saliva with small traces of blood and swipes his attackers legs out with a deadly shin strike. Both shifters are on the ground but James quickly rolls over and stands to try stomping on the Armored's head. He almost succeeded, but only clipped the right half of the face before James was struck under his chin by a hastily thrown uppercut._

 _He staggered back from the blows and snaps his jaws open and shut twice to make sure he didn't lose any teeth from the hit. His foe gets up and growls as the pair continues to glare at each other and James snarls in response. He clenched a fist and held the other out, taunting his foe to charge him with a rude hand gesture. The Armored growled and charged at him with pounding footsteps, making the ground shake a bit from the force of the footsteps. James began backing up before quickly returning the charge and leaping into the air, bringing both his legs into a solid dropkick to the chest of his incoming foe._

 _The crashing sound is unimaginably loud, and the force behind both blows colliding caused several windows to shatter as the wind blasted towards them._

 _James lands on his back and scrambled to quickly get up, and hissed in victory as he saw two large dents and even a decent size crack in the Armored ones chest plates. However his foe is persistent, and has the endurance to rise once again with a groan and gave another hate filled glare at him. James gives a frustrated sigh as he sees the wound steaming as the armor slowly makes to heal, and gave a look at his own two feet. They weren't hurt in any way, but he did snap off a talon with the brutal force of which he put into the kick_ _. It would heal soon enough, just like his foes armor would._

 _This wasn't getting him anywhere, and nor was it feeling like his usual fun when it came to fighting. He's got to protect and buy the people enough time to flee through the inner gate 3 dozen meters behind him, and most importantly Eve. She was on the other side of the gate, and she would be worried for him if he were to fall to this armored invader._

 _Instead of rushing in for another attack, James decides to observe his opponent's body more. Covered in thicker plated armor head to toe, but a meter shorter than he was, also bulkier and heavier. No other special traits, claws or spikes of any sort like he possessed and used to help fight. After deciding that if he can't beat him with strength or sheer force, he has to get **around** that armor. He lightly clenches his claws and narrows his eyes, He's gonna tear it right off. The two roar at each other and grapple hands, before James lets himself fall back..._

 _Shinganshina, 850_

James eyes widen as he is brought from the flashback by a few small thuds going through the ground, footsteps that aren't Annie's nor Ymir's. They certainly weren't his light but powerful ones, which means there's a Titan nearby. He begins sniffing to try and locate it before he sees Annie charge suddenly to a hard right and throw a spinning chop, her right hand hardening over with crystal from the fingers to the wrist. James watches in both surprise and pride as he sees a fountain of blood spurt before stopping, and steps onto the same block as Annie. Lying at her feet steaming is now the deceased form of a 7 meter Titan, and he takes the time to lightly hum his praise to her in the form of a rumble in his throat. _"Nice one Ann."_ Annie glanced back at him, carefully assessing his state of mind, his mood.

All she could detect was approval at the moment, but she knows that she should do her best to keep his mind clear and comfortable for now. Later she would have her own time with him, and in a few days time they would all be home. Annie already is picturing James meeting her father, hell just meeting more of their kind. He probably never know others aside from his family who could relate, until she and the warriors had come, which tragically and ironically took that family away. But she's getting ahead of herself, she needed to focus on the now.

Annie crooned back low towards James, her eyes closing and bowing her head in thanks to the compliment. That was another thing she loves about him, he always talked or acknowledged her for doing simple things as if they were something meaningful to him. " _Thank you James, be ready to grab me when I'm done. I won't be too wobbily on my feet but this is something I haven't fully done before."_

James gave a rumble in his throat of concern " _Are you sure you'll be able to do it? I can try and use rubble if-"_ But Annie cut him off with a shake of the head, closing her eyes. She reopened them and he could see the determined look in them, before she rasped back. " _No I'll do it. It's the least I can do for this place. Don't worry James, I've got this."_ James gave her a nod and the pair continue their way to the outer gate, and James noted that Reiner isn't as tired as before but he's still a bit weak on his feet. He looks to the side and sees Bertoldt on Ymir's shoulder as she leaps across the rooftops about 20 or so meters away, the clustered buildings giving her plenty of turf to work with.

Ymir makes another jump while sticking close to the larger shifters, she too was using her senses to detect if there were any nearby Titans. And while she wasn't too keen on close combat since she has a passenger on her shoulder, she's confident she can take one down provided it wasn't an abnormal. Should she encounter an abnormal she would fall back and give a call for assistance to James or Annie if it happens before she seals the outer gate. Bertoldt couldn't really shift without causing more destruction here than there already was, and it wouldn't be a good start to their journey if they were all trying to remain friends. Ymir felt like rolling her eyes or shaking her head at the thought but she digressed.

' _Hell's up with me? I'm usually not this into deep thinking...Must be this place. It's giving me the creeps and I'm not even from here, I wasn't here when it all went down either but I still feel as if I have been. Damn James and his story telling, he's too detailed about things like that. Ugh. Let's just get this done and leave.'_ Ymir thinks as she sees the outer gate finally coming into eyesight and feels Bertoldt tense on her shoulder. She felt a small surge of pity and understanding, since she knows he was already having a tough time seeing all the destruction caused years ago by him transforming and breaching this place.

She slows down and instead heads to a section of wall about 20 meters from the 2 larger shifters who now stand ready at the hole. Ymir leaps and latches on to the hard material, and begins her climb to the top and over the other side once more. Bertoldt grabbed large chunks of her hair and held on for dear life, because if he fell he'd have to shift in order to save himself and he doesn't want to do any more harm to this place. Ymir gave a small hum from her throat and though it was gutteral he seemed to breathe a bit easier at the height and no odm attached to anything.

As she's about a third of the way up she hears a call from James, his signature screech not sounding as fierce as she's heard it before. Perhaps his vocalizations sounded more normal when he wasn't in combat and when he was there was something else in them. She stops and listened to what he'd said." _Something wrong Ymir? We were gonna wait till you got through and seal it from the outside. What happened?"_

Ymir gestured with her eyebrow towards Bertoldt who was holding on tight to her hair since he wasn't trying to pierce her body with his odm gear and waste what gas he has left. He'd have to get rid of the equipment at some point but for now it had its use. She gave a response in the form of a low but audible growl to him. "I'm _just going to go over the wall, this place is giving me the creeps. Sorry because i know it used to be your home but I'd rather not stay here any longer."_ Ymir half lied, because while the place _did_ creep her out due to the destruction and how silent it was her going over the massive barrier was more for Bert's comfort then hers. James gave a simple nod of understanding and she continues to climb while the two large shifters passed through the hole.

As James walks past Annie and looks back at the ruined city from the outside, his thoughts somewhat mirror Ymir's words. ' _In all honesty, neither do I. But I had to do this, I couldn't let this go.'_ James gives a nod to Annie as she turns around to look at him before she does it, and he gives her a low moan. " _Thank you Annie, now let's do this...And go home. Together."_ Annie put a hand on his shoulder and gives a smile with the only actual skin on her Titan form, and he finds himself feeling comforted by the sight.

Annie finally stands in front of the broken gate and stretched her arms outward as if bound, and focuses of hardening her skin. It takes a few seconds for the icy crystal to start forming all over her body minus her nape of course, but as the crystal reached her finger tips and toes it began to sort of expand away from her body as well. Being that her titan's body was much slimmer as well as 2 meters shorter than Reiner's, Annie had to focus on making external parts to her body in order to completely cover the hole from top to bottom. It was hard work to make enough of it, she's only had to use it for combat or to protect herself from high falls, but she successfully seals the breach in under a minute and a half.

James places Reiner atop his left shoulder and wrapped him up in one of his dreds so he can use both his hands to carefully extract Annie. He lightly traces an large outline where the crystal didn't form with his clawed finger tips , and was rewarded with steam coming from the slice. He sees Annie pushing her way out from it, and he holds one hand under her in case she falls, while the other tries to gently work away more flesh without harming her in doing so. James gives a satisfied rumble as he sees her fully emerge and he moves his hand just under her body to support her back and he withdrew his hand with her laying on it. She appears to be fully fine, if a little tired like how Reiner was when he came out.

He couldn't help but give a throaty coo to her, almost like a bird to it's young and he sees her eyes open at the sound. As her icy blues meet his electric slitted ones she raised her right hand and gave a thumbs up while giving a weak but definable smile at the loving shifter looking down at her. James gives her a smile which to anyone else would seem terrifying beyond belief coming from his predatory face, but she didn't mind one bit. James raised Annie to the crook of his neck, just above his collarbone and sets her in a warm mass of his unique "hair" before turning and seeing Ymir's Titan a dozen meters away. To him it looked like she was smirking, and he could practically hear the jests and teasing she would be giving had they still been in their cadet days.

Before she could say anything in her smartass way James lumbers closer and drops to a crouch in front of her. He gives a small growl and asked " _So what now? Are you still wanting to run or do you want to hitch a ride on top of me till I get tired?"_ Ymir tilts her head in thought before she's rasps out in her weird echo-ey voice to Bertoldt as best she could. " _ **We all use me or we...Ride James till he tiresss. Which?"**_ The lanky shifter looks from Ymir's Titan to James Mauler in deep thought, trying to outweigh the advantages and disadvantages of either ride. Speed wise they would still get back to Eldia in 4 days minimum, but where they had to go around certain landmarks because of size James could fly over them.

However the drawback to that was the fear of large heights he ironically held a small sense of. The tallest shifter in history and he is a little afraid of heights. Had Ymir known that he would never hear the endless teasing, she already got him last night on being the biggest and most fearsome but most shy one. On the other hand using her Titan would be amazingly fast but James could match her and offer stronger protection because of his armor, yet she would be able to dodge around them because of her smaller size. Plus Bertoldt is sure James being the person he is would easily welcome the challenge and want to fight, but then again he is certain James is more willing to reach their village. Bertoldt comes to an agreement and decided to voice it to the transformed pair.

"How about we use both you guys? Ymir and the rest of us can ride on top of James, if we encounter Titans he can n fight while ymir keeps us away from the battle while we're recovering. Is that alright?" He calls out loud enough and James looks to Ymir with an inquisitive expression and she gives it a few seconds to think it through. Finally she gave a nod and motions to James to drop down but he actually stood up quickly. To their confusion he lowers Reiner who's still a little tipsy but fine overall, however he keeps Annie curled up tightly in his hair. Growling in his raspy and creepy voice James told the three.

" _ **Making sureee...It's clear. We allll tttaake turnnsss runninnnggg. Iiii Beeee right backkk."**_

With that James quickly ducked and jumped hard, latching onto the outside of Wall Maria and climbs, his claws on all four limbs giving him easy grip on to the smooth surface. In less than 10 seconds he's atop the wall looking down at the city, his slitted pupils scanning every street and alley. The act reminds him of what he did when he returned her the morning of the attack all those years ago, how he looked to make sure the Garrison wasn't nearby, nor any citizens who might've been up at that early hour of the morning. It was a depressing contrast to what he sees and hears now, which was absolute silence, but there isn't anything more he can do about it right now. Leave, enjoy some down time after helping the shifters out, and come back here to take down the monarchy. Then it would be a whole new life ahead of him from then on, a life with Annie, free from all of these chains.

He growls low to himself as he pictures arriving at Mitras, at how all those deluded and yet informed fools will be terrified of his Titan form. They will know what it will mean, what he will symbolize as he shows their disgusting and lying hides to the public, and frees his people and unites his friends once more. ' _I will still be a warrior, maybe not for humanity but as a person with a sense of it. I will protect my friends, and of course my family.'_ As James sees there is nothing else moving in the city, meaning there were no Titans to kill, he stood and gave a loud and long call to the empty place he used to call home. It was a roar that sounded like it was also mixed with a sad moan if one listened close enough. Bowing his head James gave one last sentiment to his family, his home, a part of him.

' _I will continue to advance, until enemies to me and those I care about are gone. I will do it, no matter what. I will not Fail."_

It's his own way of saying goodbye, and he turns and climbs down without looking back. It was time for him to leave his old home, in exchange for a new one.

.

.

.

The first day was very productive in terms of travel, Ymir ended up riding James back for nearly 5 hours before she wished to exit hers from staying in it too long. She was still getting used to it since she went so long without doing so out of fear, but it would get easier the more she tried James had reassured her as she left her nape. After that she had rode next to the other shifters until about dusk when James finally began to slow with his own tiredness showing.

However he had acted quite odd and instead of retreating from his nape he pulled them all close to his stomach region and curled himself into a ball. To anyone who could've seen it they would've said it resembled a mother animal protecting it's young, but none of them were going to object and sleep in the open Titan territory. The wind was also picking up which made the night even colder, and the warmth coming from James hot scaly body made the option of sleeping under him all the more alluring. Had they been near a forest they would've taken their chances up in a tree, but since they weren't near any they shut up and dealt with it.

Annie seemed to enjoy it though, so it wasn't completely unwanted to his passengers. Before she went to sleep she bid him good night and patted his cheek just below his jawline, and James gave a pleased rumble. Even though the whole ordeal made him seem more like an animal, James enjoyed it just fine. He kept his eyes open for any Titans for a few hours before he too began to feel sleepy, and finally shut them as he curled just a little bit tighter to protect his friends before dozing off.

.

The next day was a little eventful though a bit slower to them all. James had left his nape when Reiner offered to do the next run, and also slept on the Armored Titans collarbone after attaching his gear's hooks to ensure he wouldn't fall and get crushed by Reiner's feet. Annie had sat near him to keep an eye on him while Bert and Ymir were on the other side of Reiner neck, probably talking to themselves about what would happen when they actually reach their destination. James slept for about 6 and a half hours before waking up a bit, claiming to be hungry.

While Annie had packed a few supplies from Dauper in both of their packs, James refused them and instead told her to share the actual food with the rest. He instead chose once again to cannibalize himself much to her slight disgust, but she stomached it because he tried not to do it directly in front of her. But he did request a drink of water from one of the canteens she'd packed, which made some of the coppery smell leave his mouth.

The nighttime was a little more humorous when they found a decent sized hill about 6 meters tall, which had a cave they all were able to take refuge inside of for the night. Ymir took the watch this time surprisingly, Bertoldt and Reiner were the first to pass out. Annie again slept near James but he gave a voice full of fake hurt. "No goodnight kiss? Fiiine." Annie nudged him in the ribs before deadpanning to him.

"You still smell like bloody meat, your not getting any on the lips for a while." He gave a mock gasp before grumbling to turn over when Annie stopped him. He smiled when she gave his forehead a peck and a rap from her knuckles. James rubbed the spot and chuckled "Ow." But before the blonde could reply with either another hit or some snark another voice cut across them from the mouth of the cave.

"You guys both smell like shit, but Annie's right James. You do reek like blood. Take a shower and maybe she'll give you a reward. For now just shut up and go to sleep." Ymir spoke without looking back and James replied within an instant.

"Maybe you should listen to your own advice Ymir, not sure dear Bertie is gonna be willing to kiss your freckled mug smelling like you do. But goodnight to you too foxface. Pleasant dreams." James voice dripped sarcasm at the better end, and for once Ymir didn't make a comment.

.

On the third day Annie took her turn to run and James struck up a decent conversation with Reiner and Bertoldt about how things generally went in their village. Ymir was listening too but she wasn't as avid with voicing her questions as James was, as she was also having Annie's back by watching for any Titans in the distance which the scarce few she did find were nowhere near any threat to their journey.

"So you guys don't really use your Titan forms outside of fighting off the mindless?" James asked, not too keen on the idea of greatly restricting himself once more. During training was one thing, it would've drawn attention from humans but he was going somewhere full of his kind. He should be free to use it and hoped he'd hear of some loopholes or such. Bertoldt shrugged at the question and Reiner replied for him to James.

"Well not exactly, it's just that there's going to be alot of people there with less room than the walls. If everyone were to use their forms the place would be shaking from all the footsteps, but thats only on the main village area. The outside part of it has much more space, forests, a small dry area like a desert, and some small lakes, rivers. We use our forms for gathering materials, wood coal that kind stuff. Don't worry, You'll be fine there, as long as you don't start tearing everything up-"

However his explanation was interrupted when Annie gave a low growl to the conversing shifters as she caught the smell of normal haired ones. Her large icy blue eyes spotted one about 50 meters out with a dozen mindless milling about near it, and soon the shifters could see them as well from their positions. Ymir was the first to say anything, with a highly tactical viewpoint.

"Well that's inconvenient."

James and the rest stopped talking about Eldia and instead began to try and formulate a plan of attack, with nothing being full agreed upon. James and Reiner wanting to fight it out while Ymir suggested just trying to steer clear, saying that since they had the means and motivation to avoid confrontation they should take it. Bertoldt did disagree with her since their people still had to deal with these things, and It would be more prudent and productive to kill any of the haired ones that they find on their journey. In the end James and Reiner shouted their plan into Annie's massive ears and she nodded, and although she too wished for some combat she knew she had to keep the other two clear of them.

Annie held both James and Reiner in her palms, and drew her arms back as she got ready for her small but important role in this crazy plan. James shouted out "Now!" And she threw both of the armored shifters forward as they used their preferred method to transform. James bit his hand and rolled into the throw as he hit the ground in his fully formed body while Reiner landed more heavily, and both his feet and fist hitting the ground to stabilize himself. Annie broke off and veered to the left of the shifters as she kept her steady pace while the two charged forward to intercept the incoming Titans. She'd been given clear instructions and reassuring words from James to keep going, and that they would catch up when they finish dealing with the group.

James and Reiner growled as they saw the haired giant looking at them with wild eyes, which showed them both that this one wasn't the Beast Titan. James had personally stared right into the eyes of it twice, and he saw intelligence and malevolent intent in them. He didn't see that with this one, and he noted that this one didn't have much stink about it except old blood, along with slightly shorter arms than the Beast Titan but only by about 2 meters. It only stands a meter taller than James at 18 meters, which means that since this thing wasn't intelligent nor has as much reach, that this _was going to be fun._

 _"Reiner take out as many of the mindless as you can, I'll handle the hairy bastard."_ James growled and Reiner gave a confused one of his own though he wasn't going to to disobey. He knows James has a better chance against it because of his speed, but Reiner is confused about why he doesn't want his help. " _Why don't we both take care of the mindless first and then take him on? It would be an easy sweep for us."_ He looks to his left and Reiner is surprised to see James giving a predatory grin on his scary features. In a light snarl which grew dark at the end, James explained.

" _Because I'm our best shot at fighting the Beast Titan in close quarters unless Bertoldt or you gives support during it, so I need to see how I would fight him in case your not there. You know me, I like to be prepared before I do something significant or rash. And the hairy one in front of us is what I like to call Practice."_ Reiner gave a grunt of acknowledgement and decided to not really argue about it, because in less than 30 seconds they met with their enemies.

James reached the leader of the group at the same time Reiner blew two of the mindless Titans heads away with powerful jabs, and focused on pushing his prey backwards while Reiner kept at his task. The Armored Titan was throwing one Titan which tried to get on his back into another that began approaching him, and looked to see where the Mauler Titan was. His eyes focused for a moment as he saw James and the haired giant circling each other, throwing out challenging roars to each other and trying to intimidate the other, before he felt a small bite on the back of his leg.

Reiner looked down to see a small 7 meter trying to latch it's jaws onto his plated calf and huffed in annoyance before he lifted his leg back and punted the eager little shit into a nearby small tree. It lay for a moment as he didn't destroy the nape, but he would get to it when he would. After all he still has about 2 or 3 left to take care of, and brought his fists back up to strike them as they lumber closer to him.

" _ROOOOOOOOAAAARRRR!"_ James fiercely roared at his hairy opponent and received a animalistic one in return, which made his blood pump from anticipation.

"RRROOAAHHHHH!"

He came ever so closer before violently lashing out with his talons to the Giants face, which rewarded him with a pained growl and splash of blood from the sounded creatures face. James quickly backed up and out of the reach of the Giants long arms when it swung in retaliation, before surging back in to land a deep punch at it's stomach. It could up some blood mixed with saliva, however this time James didn't duck fast enough and ended up taking a good long fingered smack to his chest which put him temporarily on the ground.

He scrambled and rolled to the side as he saw the other long hand come swinging down to hit where his stomach would have been, and James took to all fours instead of getting back up. He gave a snarl and bared his teeth, trying to provoke a angered and therefore reckless reaction from the giant, which he succeeded in. The giant roared again and came in swinging both of it's arms at the same time to slam the back of it's fists into the ground at James who backed up again. He took the momentary lapse in time to backhand the Giants chin before lunging teeth and claws first at his attackers throat and upper body.

James sunk his teeth into the Haired Giants collarbone while his clawed hands sunk to the knuckles in it's ribcage and stomach, pained growls and groans coming from the Titan. James gets a good purchase with his teeth and keeps them locked as he starts shaking from side to side, tearing flesh and muscle from his prey until his jaws pull the chunk of meat clean from the body. The blood coming from the wound wasn't that big of a surprise for the shifter, he's done similar work on animals in human form. The Haired Giant screamed then and tried to get it's attacker off but to no avail as the vicious and savage act escalated even further.

James latched his jaws onto the shoulder joint of the giant and shook his head hard again, mauling the beast and living up to the name of his Titan form. He also began slicing and stabbing portions of the Giants body while using his own and it's heavy weight to keep his prey pinned down, unable to escape. James glaced his eyes and met the Giants own yellowed and wild ones, and James was satisfied to see fear in them, and the giant began to panic with how much body mass and blood it was losing to this strange monster of a shifter.

James felt the long fingered hands try clawing at his neck and back, not getting anywhere because of his armor which had it been Reiner the giant grabbed, it would've gotten a grip between the plates. But he didn't have such a chink in his armor so to speak, and he took his left hand and plunging it into the throat, exiting the area just below the nape and above the lungs. He then drove his other hand straight through the giants mouth much to it's protest, and soon _lack of_ as James gripped the nape and crushed it between his claws. He pulled his closed hands from the bloody mess and saw the body no longer moving, completely limp and definitely dead.

Rising from the corpse James gave a satisfying stomp to it's head, crushing it into a pulp that began to steam like the other Titan bodies he saw in the area curtsey of Reiner's work. Speaking of which James looked and saw him standing a few dozen meters away, with an impressed look on his face as one final 4 meter was steaming underneath his left foot. His jaw plate dropped and Reiner growled over at him as James began walking over, his claws and maw steaming from the evaporating blood of the Haired giant he's just slain going away.

" _Nice one James, I've never seen someone kill one of them so quickly...Or brutally. It's scary but kind of reassuring in a weird way at the same time."_ James gave a amused hum at that and growled back a question.

" _Really? You've seen me fight plenty, but I guess I did have to do a little more for that one. Not as simple a kill. Well anyway, fight take much out of you? Or do you still think you can run now?"_ At this Reiner's head cocked to the side as he replied " _I'm still good, besides it would be a waste to just exit when our fight was over too quick. Why?_ " At this James gave him a somewhat challenging grin before he gave his answer. Reiner felt a sudden sense of unease as the thought of James challenging him to a fight came to mind, but thankfully that wasn't the case.

 _"Fancy a race? The two armored behemoths try to catch Annie first, after all she's still running quite far ahead. There's no Titans holding us down and no passengers to hold back because of going all out. You up for it?"_

With that statement the blonde hair shifter gave a smirk on his plated features, and matched James location before turning and facing the same direction Annie had parted them both in. He readied to shed the armor on his calves and gave a more friendly growl to James who took one of his own running poses, however he didn't need to give up anything. Hell he could take to the ground on all fours if he wished and still keep up. But he had made a valid point, there wasn't anything holding them from going all out in a so called Titan race.

 _"Fine, just you and me. We'll settle this, though I'm warning ya. I can get quite fast once I get going. Hope you can keep up."_ James barked a laugh in his hideous way of doing so, a raspy growl of a laugh.

" _Oh I'm ready. Now let's see what you got!"_

Both of the armored shifters readied to run, and with a massive cracking sound they both bounded forward. The Giants left huge craters where they had started off at, and only created smaller ones the further and faster they went. Reiner shed the armor on his calves, which gave him let him go faster and start to push ahead of James. However the more fit shifter began to take longer and lighter strides, and with the claws on his feet got more traction and grip to easily match Reiner's sudden burst of speed.

James gave a hissing laugh as he heard and turned to see Reiner dumping more armor from his side's and stomach, letting him get closer once more. James jumped and rolled into it as he hit the ground on all fours now, neck and neck with Reiner staying focused on the race, looking for Annie in the distance. James could smell her, along with Bertoldt and Ymir, which meant they weren't that far out. After all they did instruct her to keep going and the pair would catch up eventually. James just didn't tell her that it would involve a race between him and Reiner, because James hadn't been fully sure or not if Reiner would've been up to the challenge or still felt he had the energy to do so.

But things worked out just fine, for once.

In the end James had won although Reiner did put in a good amount of effort into the competition, and nearly worn himself out in the process. James decided to run alongside Annie for a while before exiting and having her carry him as well as Reiner.

.

.

 _._

The fourth and near final day of travel was the most calm so far, Ymir had her turn to run in Titan form for nearly 7 hours straight before she switched up with James and he mimicked her way of moving about on all fours. The gait wasn't difficult to use, and it allows him to not have to worry as much about tripping or stumbling on the ground. Not that he ever has before due to his size, weight as well as his claws, but the day had been gloomy with cloud cover since they resumed their trek at dawn after a good night of rest. He could see darker clouds in the distance which meant that soon it would rain, possibly heavily.

James was actually glad he would be in the rain again, he hasn't seen a good rainstorm since that light sprinkle in Trost during the early hours of the invasion and this one up ahead looked much larger in comparison. He gave a content hum which the others except for Annie seemed confused about, Bertoldt saying the obvious question. "Why does he seem happy? He sees the storm right? It could slow us down. I don't get it."

"Because we both love the rain Bert, you forget about that? You and Reiner teased me about it back in camp when he and I stayed outside during that one storm." Annie said and the other blonde shifter in their group also began to recall that.

"Oh yeah, I remember now. I forget we didn't see you guys for like another 2 hours before you finally came in. So either you really love the stuff or you two were doing _something else_ out there." Reiner snickered at the end and Ymir couldn't help but smirk as well. Even Bert felt a sense of amusement as well thinking back to that day.

They'd done runs in the rain before but one storm in particular had left it's impression on them all. Training had been cancelled after 5 hours of slogging through the mud while Shadis rode behind all the trainees on horseback, but he too had made it clear that they all needed to be prepared for such circumstances in future situations. The cadets had all been allowed to stay inside the bunkhouses, but two individuals chose to stay outside even if their friends kept urging them to come back in. Those two had been James and Annie nearly a year after they first got together...

CCCRRRRAAACCCCKKKKKKK!

However they were all brought from their reminiscence as thunder cracked high above them, And they felt James slow down a bit as it started to rain quite light at first before getting heavier and heavier. The drops were large and thick as they hit the shifters, who crawled closer so that they could be partially protected by James dredlocks. However they couldn't expect the lanky armored shifter they rode to come to a complete stop before crouching on his haunches to bring his face to the sky, and opening his deadly mouth.

All of them, Annie included, watched as James extended his tongue out like a child catching snowflakes during the winter and seemed to drink the rain. It confused them because their Titan bodies didn't actually need to ingest or consume any meat or form of nutrition, so they couldn't see why he was doing the odd but animalistic act. His eyes were closed and his face was oddly peaceful for such a scary looking one like he had.

The other shifters could feel just how cool the water was, but it wasn't freezing. More like room temperature, but that didn't mean they would just go into it and get their bodies soaked in the stuff. Annie crawled out a little though and extended one of her hands, collecting some water before splashing her face with it. She washed her face with the rain and repeated the act about 3 times before Reiner too chuckled and also began cleaning his face, scraping off some dried blood from Mikasa's attack days ago on the wall. Bertoldt looked at the sky in curious thought, perhaps just enjoying the peace of the moment.

James gave a sigh which made the air steam around his mouth as he exhaled the hot air to the cooler air of the storm. He gave a rumble that echoed deep in his throat and the group all found themselves oddly at ease,

Of course the moment was ruined by Ymir's small comment which she thought went unheard by the large shifter enjoying the falling water. "Well looks like his big ass decided to take a shower finally." James heard it all and pulled all his dreds from her, leaving her exposed to the rain. Ymir voiced her disdain and defiance of the act. "Hey! What the hell!? I didn't do anything!" She didn't receive any answer except for James and Reiner laughing, the blonde with his normal joking one and the Mauler with his hissing version of a chuckle.

But she felt a bit of relief when Bertoldt lifted one of the dredlocks over him and offered a space next to him under it, which Ymir took with some slightly redness dusting her cheeks which could've been played off as being made by the cold instead of the act of chivalry. She muttered her thanks to Bert and he easily replied "No problem."

James finally had his fill of rain for the moment and lowered himself back into his crawling gait, and resumed their journey once more without slowing down but not going as fast as he usually would. He had his stance and body to keep stable, but the ground was getting quite muddy under such heavy rain. The sky wasn't too bad out, there was enough light to see by from the moonlight just behind the clouds and his eyesight was pretty good if he did say so himself.

He kept at his steady pace for another couple of hours until he could see what appeared to be mountains in the distance, a few dozen miles ahead but also some rougher terrain than he wanted to venture over right now in this weather. He gave a grumble to tell shifters and decided to settle down for the night, once again like the first with his Titan forms shielding the others from the elements.

They all began nodding off, with Annie being the very last. But before she did so Annie gave James some encouragement for him to think on tonight. "I can see the hills which means the mountains are close too. Just beyond the hills are some flat plains where it'll be easier to run, so we will definitely reach home, _our_ home by tomorrow. Good night James, I'll see you in the morning."

But to James heavy surprise, Annie gave his huge scary face a kiss and hug before settling into her sleeping spot on the nook of his neck. James gave a warm sigh of contentedness, and found himself looking just over those hills and at the mountains with something like accomplishment.

' _Im so close to it, a new start, a new home. A place where Annie and I don't have to live in fear of ignorance, but I know I'll have to return to that place at some point. After all I am fighting for my family, and I will see them be free. But not just yet, there are things I have to do here, people I need to meet as well as save. But afterwards...I'll truly be free, and so will everyone I care about as well._

 _But I'm going on more than I should right now, I should be resting. We all still have a trek to my, our new home tomorrow. And I almost can wait.'_ James thought tired to himself as he felt the slow breathing of everyone his head full of "hair" shielded, and knew himself to be the last awake. He gave one last look over with his blue eyes scanning the area for unwanted guests, and finding none he bowed his head slightly and closed his eyes before drifting off.

.

.

Morning couldn't have come earlier for the shifters, James in particular as he woke the other shifters up an hour after sunrise. He was too excited about reaching Eldia, and chose to do another run since he didn't want to wait and debate who should go next. Though the sense of drive seemed a bit childish to a degree with how passionate he seemed to be, it was because none of them could actually relate to James in this state.

Reiner Annie and Bertoldt all came from a place where there were many of their kind, even if they lived with the harsh reality of the Haired Giants and eventually the Beast Titan as well. Ymir had grown up in the walls completely oblivious to the outside world, starving and living on the streets until that worshipper group took her in. After that it was much better, until those mysterious men punished her and the others by making them into mindless Titans. She was as new to this as James was, but she didn't feel that same burning desire for acceptance. _He did._

The shifter born inside the walls full of people who didn't know something like him existed except for the monarchy, born already with a disadvantage because that lack of knowledge birthing ignorance and eventually hatred. Raised to fight for the very people he had to hide from or else be hunted down like the beast he appeared to be physically and even mentally at times. A person who only wanted to be free, from his mission, from hatred, from the weight of lives on his shoulders.

Although they faced their own trials living in the cruel world they all shared, none of them knew exactly how that felt or what it could do to a person. Add in personal losses, struggling with a withering sense of humanity for years before having it return. A person who chose self exile because he couldn't bear the mantle which shouldn't have been placed on him at all, because it was a duty that would be in vain from the way it was told to be carried out.

He was betrayed by the very people he was supposed to protect, some were those he grew close with as family, others were idealistic and gambling men who played the wrong wager at the wrong time. Betrayed by those he's called brothers because they were the very ones who took his loved ones from him, even if things hadn't exactly been the family he desired. And though he made his peace with them, the loss would never truly die. It would only dull and numb itself over until it was prodded hard enough to burst and cause the deaths of those who created that pain and suffering in the first place.

He was someone they could never truly relate to, but someone who could understand them. And that was all that mattered now.

James straightened out his stance when they crossed over the rapidly rising and falling hills, the level ground feeling more comfortable since he had to worry about passengers. Had it just been him he wouldn't have minded the odder portion of terrain one but, but being he needed to stay aware it made more sense to do what was easiest. It didn't trouble his mind at all, not with the giddy sense of high he had about him about finally reaching the shifter village that the Warrior trio hailed from. He kept a steady but light-footed jog which lessened the noise and impact of his massive footsteps into the ground.

All of the shifters felt lighter in mood compared to the feelings and thoughts they had days ago when they first set off from Shinganshina. It was a feeling of hope for most, but for the three warriors also unease. The blood freezing fear of finding that they were too late, that their mission took too long and ended up with the utter destruction of Eldia and the last and most protected shifter village. And the terrifying thoughts regarding the reaction from a certain person that every one of those deaths including his family would have been for nothing. Though James claimed that he understood why they did what they did, all of the group except James knew that things wouldn't be so easy to accept when it all meant would be no law stopping James from killing them if he wanted to, their families who they killed thousands in the name of self preservation would not protect them at all.

He wouldn't hesitate had he been his older self, but they still hold that fear even with his recent attitude and change in demeanor.

James senses were on overdrive as he got closer to the mountains, mainly because everything was so fresh and new to him this far out. His nose and tongue tasted the air, grabbing the scents if mindless Titans and others, however they weren't haired Giants scents. Nor were they that musk of the Beast Titan, which means the new scents he can identify have to be others of his kind, so the village was close. His ears couldn't hear much aside from his in footsteps, the breathing of his friends, and the few birds here and there that flew through the sky.

His slit pupil eyes however were a different story, and what he saw with them way farther than the other non transformed shifters could see made him growl in annoyance and soon anger.

Up ahead about 150 meters out was a cluster of mindless Titans, but luckily there was no haired one in sight. The number wasn't even that high and nor where the Titans very large, the tallest looking to be about 10 meters. The group only had 7 in it, which means he doesn't really have to fight them now.

But they are in his way, so he's going through them.

The others began to notice something was up when James began growling and his eyes narrowed, and they saw dust picking up in the distance. From his reaction they knew he wouldn't be acting this way had he seen shifters, which means he's sees mindless. Everyone began to think about what they should do, especially since Annie wanted to combat this time from how bored she's been these few days of just traveling. Soon enough they can see the Titans only about 60 meters ahead, some were abnormals which began running towards them while others just walked slowly at a sluggish pace, and they knew they wouldn't have long to decide. But something unexpected happened.

James chose for them.

James got all the shifters into both his hands and wrapped his arms tight, much like the way Reiner had done to protect them from the scouts when they'd kidnapped Eren. James gave a deep snarl as his hands went tight, much to the protest of those inside who didn't want him to chose this route.

"James what are you doing? Let one of us fight with you!"

"You can't fight with us all like this! Let Annie or Ymir shift and give you a hand!"

"Just go around them, they're still far out enough to avoid. Just go around!"

But their words fell on deaf ears when James gave a deep snarl and focused on wording his intentions so they can understand and listen. " ** _Nooo matterrr what, Stayyyy Puttt. We're going throughhh. Brace yourselves!"_** and no sooner did he say that did the Titans come within 29 meters from them all.

James began making louder steps as he pounded the ground harder with more force to get more speed and momentum, and he gave another growl as the Titans came closer. The shifters listened with rapt attention as the footsteps were the only thing they could hear The silence left when the titans footsteps met with James own, and both forces collided much like Reiner had days ago.

James pushed through the group with a loud screeching roar of anger, shrugging off any Titan that tried to cling to him. His determination was even greater than the one to seal the gate in Trost, he wasn't going to be stopped by these small pissants. He kept running as the Titans turned and began to follow him, and pushed himself to run faster and outrun them. The good part was he actually stomped 3 when he initially collided with them, but that still left 4 and 3 of which were abnormal who chased him the hardest.

Luckily the abnormals were running at different speeds, which mean he could theoretically engage them one at a time if he wished. He debated about whether or not he should just take them out, because he remembers what Bertoldt said about making this trip productive in Titan slaying as well as travel.

James decided that he would get closer to the mountains and space them out more before taking care of them , and continued to sun while subconsciously snapping and opening his jaws. The sound echoed to those trapped in his hands who had no idea what he was planning, but better they not know than try to interfere. Not that he doesn't trust them, but he needs to release some steam so to speak. This sudden arrival of Titans had ticked him off more than it should have, but that's because he was too eager to reach his new home.

He slowed his pace ever so slightly and heard the first and closest abnormal start to catch up, about a dozen meters behind him. James did an unexpected move and skidded to a stop before turning and lashing out with his jaws at the abnormals face, catching it full force and getting himself a large amount of flesh in his maw. James bit down and sheared away more flesh from the Titans face before he lunged forward with his mouth again and grabbed the nap before tearing that out as well. The Titan dropped to the ground and twitched for a moment before it began to steam away and decompose, showing it was dead.

James saw that only 27 meters ahead was the start of the mountains, and there he would need both his arms or his wings to fly over. Which means he does have to take care of these last few Titans or send the shifters ahead. James grunts in frustration and turns to face the trio of abnormals spaced about by about a 6 or 7 meters between them and growled, sizing them up. He roared a fearsome challenge at them, wanting them to hurry so that he can just finish them and keep traveling. The first is almost within striking range when something odd happens.

James heard two other roars coming from behind him, one that was animalistic like his but not high pitched. The other was very gutteral and angered one that had a metallic tinge to it, like an echo. James turned to face where the sounds came from and his slit eyes opened in surprise as he sees who the roars belong to run past him.

They were both shorter than he is by a good margin, about 7 or 8 meters each, so no bigger than Ymir's Titan. They both were some sort of quadrapeds, one completely bound by it from the odd body structure but _the_ other was more proportioned right, almost like Ymir's he again noticed. The first's body looked almost like a dogs but without hair of course, and had the very vague smell and facial features that showed it was a female shifter. Granted the face wasn't very feminine like Annie's or even Ymir's but a long face, jaws all around on both sides, showing this Titan was almost like an animal. The other Titan was quite a contrast compared to it's partner, and was also a male.

Long hair flowed all around the face which resembled a rich and flowing beard and hair that would rival even Historia's with how far from the face it went. It was darker in color but there were hints of white along the forward knuckles and fingers like armor similar to Reiner, though probably not nearly as thick or _strong._ And they only covered the hands, and now that James took a better look the face as well. The male shifter had what appeared to be a semi armored face, the teeth hidden by armor that jutted out from the face in a solid plate fashion which only composed of a part for the upper jaw and one for the lower.

James watched in fascination and curiosity as the two bounded around him quite fast, possibly even as fast as he could move at top speed with no passengers and went to attack the abnormals. At first because of the size of the abnormals James considered lending a hand to these new shifters, but he saw the quick way they dispatched the first one with teamwork which seemed to be well coordinated and practiced. It almost reminded him if how he and Sasha fought together to hunt bigger prey in Dauper.

Less than two minutes later James was sight to 4 steaming husks, and the two smaller but still formidable shifters slowly approached him, keeping their distance. Well then again they were deadly against unarmed forms, so he and Reiner would be more than fine, and Bertoldt would have the size advantage obviously. Annie had her hardening and Ymir has the speed and agility. James decided to make the first move and gave a neutral call to them, not trying to overly intimidate them but letting them see his power and letting them know not to mess with him.

" _You two are warriors of Eldia? My name is James Draekon, and I have come to bring your warriors back, and to seek a home here as well."_ The two other shifters exchanged a quick glance before the feminine one came a bit closer but her body stance was that of one who was ready to dodge and run at any moment. She lightly gave a sound that sounded like a cross between a whine and a curious growl.

" _We are from Eldia, but we serve as both border scouts and Warriors. My name is Pieck, and he's Porko Galliard. You say...That you brought our frie-..Warriors back?"_ The quadraped questions with a inquisitive look on her oddly shaped face while the other she had called Porko looked more anxious than she allowed. James gave a slow nod and knew it was time to reveal the other shifters, and so brought down his hands from his chest. The moment the shifters were free Annie and the rest angrily began shouting at him for the possibly unwelcome experience.

"What the hell was that James?! You trapped us so we couldn't help you and could've-" Annie started but stopped when she saw the other two shifters presence. The same went for Reiner and Bertoldt when surprisingly the dark haired boy was the one who sounded angrier.

"Why'd you do something so stupid and reckless huh?" Reiner began to say but froze upon seeing the two border scouts like Annie had. He barely said anything except the two names James had just heard to himself, as if in disbelief. "Pieck...Porko.."

"You could've gotten us killed doing that James! Or did you forget that we all have families to go back to huh?! What in the hell were you think-" but like the other two Bertoldt shut up real fast, watching as the shifters began looking at him Reiner and Annie with anxious eyes. James took the moment to speak aloud in his raspy voice to answer all their questions.

" _ **Because...We areee nowww Home..."**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

Atop the great first Wall separating the outside world from the one inside the walls a pair of black and yellow eyes looked into the city in ruins below, inspecting the now sealed gates. He'd arrived at this spot a few days ago from inside the lost territory of Wall Maria. After the humiliating but short battle atop the second human wall, Rose if he recalled, he wandered through the territory until he reached one of the former cities.

' _How interesting, it appears the same ones who broke those barriers have now closed them back up. How inconvenient, I'll have to resume my work gathering an army another time. But that means I can take more from the inside and recruit them instead. But no more of my wonderful children can wander in here anymore, a pity.'_ The man thought and set his massive form in a sitting position, his long hairy arms folded in his lap. His legs were crossed over one another as he leaned forward to nearly face the ground.

With a small burst of steam the hairy body slumped over but not threatening to fall off the massive monolith of a wall, and the man inside began pulling himself out. It had been quite a while since he had used his own two arms and legs, so he would be needing a decent rest when the nighttime finally came. With his own eyes he looked over the city and cleaned his glasses before putting them on. He spoke 4 words which though cryptic to most would seem quite relevant to many things going through his mind.

"Not just yet eh?"


	101. Eldia-The Village

**Alright hopefully this is a much faster update then last time, mainly because I don't have the stress of writing during the holidays and I've put some work in on my other stories as well. If not then I'm truly sorry, things have been a bit hectic.** **This** **one will be an important chapter even if it's not as long as the last, which ironically it probably should've been. But I didn't want the Eldia arc to be short but with longer chapters than the rest of the story, therefore these will be about 5 or 6k for this arc and so this arc will seem longer. Plus it gives me more time to see your guys thought on how I'm doing this portion of the story which is _full_ Au. I'm going to be intergating characters and certain things from the actual manga so be warned! Lots of minor plot details that will be significant later so be aware, also some back story for James as well as new memories with him actually being where he wanted to be. _Also_ some information about his _parents_ which will be pretty important during the middle of this arc as well as very important during the Uprising arc which I've decided to do further on once I reread the Manga. Glad to see positive reviews for chapter 100, and I was feeling glad to write all the shifters in a more positive and hopeful mood. And yeah I did think of putting a huge plot twist like the village being gone and James dreams crushed as well as the warriors families being gone, but it felt too tragic for what I want to do with this story. Quite hypocritical considering I love tragic stories and tragic characters, James included. But rest assured there _will_ be plenty of hardships for all the characters shifter or not in the future, after all this _IS_ AoT. Well I think I've spoiled _enough_ , drop a review. Let us begin.**

 ** _Alsooooooo I'm super excited for the next chapter of the manga coming in February! If you guys have any theories or thoughts on it afterwards feel free to leave them in the reviews too!_**

 ** _Song recommendations for this vary from Attack on Titan and Tokyo Ghoul, feel free to pick whichever suits your tastes or heck even try reading multiple times with each to see what fits more._**

 ** _Munou by Österreich_**

 ** _Hearing the Heartbeat by Hiroyuki Sawano_**

 ** _Eyewater by Hiroyuki Sawano_**

 ** _White Silence by Tk ling, girl version_**

 ** _Licht und Schatten by Yutaka Yumanda_**

 ** _Next chapter should be out by my Birthday in March, One rung up will be updated shortly after this maybe within a week. Web of Hearts to all you followers of that I'm SUPER SORRY, but the next one will also be out very soon. Sorry I've been delaying my stories too much, been doing alot of reading._**

 _Eldia-The Village._

James followed the two native shifters of Eldia as they easily traversed over the rough terrain like it was nothing, which because they grew up in this area as well as their forms probably meant they had the advantage over him. _Well, for now at least_. It wouldn't be long though before James could do so just as well he was sure, he adapts fast enough to stay alive. That's what came with being left along at such a young age for so long, _You learn or you die._ Simple enough of a concept, even if it was cruel. Cruel but effective. In a way those words were a summary of himself, and that fact both humored and bothered James at the same time.

It was something he both hated his parents putting him through and yet couldn't deny the benefits of them doing it. Just like everything else the training they put him through did for him, it made him strong. Harsh yes, cruel _definitely_ , demoralizing to learn it would be in vain for quite a long time? Absolutely. But he still applies what they taught him and what he taught himself with his everyday life. He knows how to fight, kill, defend and protect, eat and cook on his own. _'And yet look at where I am now, I wouldn't have gotten this far if I didn't know I could push myself to go the distance. But I do, thanks to them.'_ He thought bittersweetly as the shifters took a better position on his neck and head, letting him use all his limbs to navigate the unique terrain and take in more of it with his other senses. They seemed to be very excited but for some reason hush hush, and he couldn't figure out why.

The ground and dirt around here was different from the plains, where that area was dry and crumbling _this_ portion of earth was very moist and dark. It told him that rain came to this area more often, and the soil was of much better quality for growing Flora. He recalls Reiner saying how the villagers used their Titan forms to gather materials from Coal to Lumber in order to keep things going, but James curiosity also dipped into how their agriculture was. Were there any food problems with the Village bring the last stronghold for their kind against the Haired Giants?

He would have to think on it later, maybe part of his role in helping would include some forms of manual labor which James didn't oppose in any way. In fact he knew with the large scale of people there probably were that he would be assisting other shifters possibly in _their_ own forms as they try to teach him how things go. But he at least hopes he won't be reduced to just a mere farmer, after all he wasn't a _Warrior_ for no reason. He lives to fight, just like Eren said way back in Stohess.

 _That was never going to change about him, no matter what the future brings._

His eyes were still looking over the areas they were passing, he could see all the different plants native to this place as well as a few others he knew from his time in the inner territory of the walls. In the far distance to the right he thought he could see a farm or such, with tilled ground for about a mile. Much to his rotten luck however he didn't see any inhabitants of said farm which he scowled low to himself. It almost reminds him of that field he and Annie had landed in Dauper days ago, though he had known that area like the back of his hand because of hunting. This was all new territory to him both literally and figuratively since he's going to see an _entire village_ of his own kind living away from humanity. Hell he would've been excited just seeing people of _any_ sort outside the walls, but his own kind? _He was ecstatic._

 _But_ he's also slightly _nervous_ as well, after all he was not only meeting the families of his friends and loved one, but he has to help _save these people_ as well. And James thinks he knows exactly _what_ they want him to try and do, but he just doesn't know _how_ he will do it. He doesn't want to be some sort of a dissappointment to people who he hasn't even met, and to him that was definitely a first. His usual attitude of observation and _then_ interacting seemed to be worthless here, especially since _he_ was the one who would be closely watched. He was the outsider here, and so was Ymir. There would be quite a number of eyes on them just because they were strangers where as the warriors would be immediatley recognized and welcomed.

He at least hopes it's not with fear of how he looks.

He was brought from his musings temporarily when he hears the female quadraped, Pieck give a light call back to him. The other quadraped Porko,stays silent and keeps up his pace just to the right of her. He still hasn't said a word to James or the others as well since they'd met a half hour ago, and that didn't help to ease his anxiety one bit. He could tell there was a mild wave of tension that was slowly building, but he couldn't see a reason for it. Was it just because of how intimidating he might appear, or because he's brought back the warriors who have been gone for so long? James eyes don't move from scanning the ground he's traversing for anything that might mess him up but his head does cock itself automatically like an animal's would at a new sound, listening in on what the newly introduced shifter had to say to him.

" _We are getting close, but I want you to know that you and their arrival will be a_ _big deal. We haven't heard any word or news for 5 years now, they're all going to be anxious and excited that our warriors have returned. I'd prepare yourself if big crowds or reunions aren't your forte, as soon as we enter the village center you will have to exit your Titan form James Draekon."_ Pieck informed him while also subtly giving a command, though he didn't see a threat in it. More like a teaching or offering of much needed knowledge. After all the last thing he wants to do is give off the wrong impression that he was a threat, granted his appearance and methods of operating his titan were probably beyond anything they would normally expect to see.

James gave a small inquiring growl to the informative Eldian scout with as polite a tone as he could in this form. " _Thank you for the heads up, but_ _I hope you don't mind me saying I'd rather be the last one to exit my form._ _Call me paranoid but I'm not exactly comfortable with this, as much as I want to see more of you all. Would that be a problem if you and Porko left your forms first?"_ He asked and the two turned to look at him with sideways glance of curiosity and thoughtful thinking. Pieck turns her head back forward and growled back with no animosity " _That would be acceptable, but remember you will have to leave it. We aren't here to attack you, but we will defend ourselves if_ _you present yourself as an enemy."_

James gave a shocked but low whine to himself at hearing those words, he was glad for the pair exiting their Titans before him so he can get a look and feel more safe doing so, but he hopes he hasn't overstepped any boundaries of any sort. He shook his head a small but and kept pace with Pieck and Porko, and tried to clear his head of all that was running through it. _'UGH, just focus James. Keep your eyes and ears open, be polite and don't do anything stupid or rash. Wait why the hell am I thinking this? It's not like I'm Eren or anything.'_ James finished with a much lighter tone than before and a small smirk on his scary looking face. Another 7 minutes passed before he started to see _buildings_ in the distance, but with their speed they would arrive very soon.

They were spaced out quite evenly in most parts, others were more clustered together which might've been more of a market area. The highest buildings went about twice the size of the Armory back in Trost, and for some reason James could see that they held similar building styles but most of the non clustered areas were made out of wood and lumber than stone. Some even looked like they were made of a _harder_ material, like Hardened skin or Armor. Maybe the inhabitants of said buildings used their own bodies to help create the outer shell and foundations, it'd certainly be interesting to find out. And then as he and the other shifters began to walk between the buildings, then he started to see _the people themselves._

Young and Older ones alike began to be seen, some crossing streets to conduct business, others just leaving their homes to get a better look at the returning shifters. There were fingers pointed and words spoken among them as the streets cleared, small crowds of people forming on both sides. James looked at their faces as he passed by behind Pieck and Porko leading the way, and found himself in silent awe of them staring back at him. Some were in awe as well, not only at his Titan but the other shifters riding on his shoulders. Others looked a bit fearful of him but that was to be expected sadly, he wasn't going to get around that one ever in his life it seemed. His larger and more sensitive ears were able to pick out the whispers and murmurs which soon turned into yells and cheers of excitement, much to his pleasure.

" _Look how tall he is..."_

 _"...looks even stronger than Torik.."_

 _"He's even got Armored skin like-"_

 _"Look at those claws! I bet they could rip right through a haired Giant like butter..."_

 _"Those teeth look stronger than Galliard's-"_

 _"Do you see the eyes? They look like a birds..-_

 _"..no a snakes, or a lizards..."_

 _"He doesn't seem like he's aggressive considering-"_

 _"Wonder what he's like in combat..."_

 _"Wanna place bets in the arena?"_

 _"Is that the warriors on his..."_

 _"...after fives years they're back! Now-"_

 _"It really is them! Reiner and-"_

 _"It's the warriors!"_

 _"Is that little Annie and Bertoldt?"_

 _"Who is that other woman with them?"_

 _"It's the warriors!"_

 _"IT'S THE WARRIORS! THEY'VE COME BACK!"_

 _"WE'RE SAVED!"_

 _"Then the one there riding on must be-"_

James heard all of these words, and found himself not being seen as a threat for probably the first time in years. These people...they haven't said anything rude about him, haven't run in fear, even seeing his more fearsome attributes they've only observed and commented in fascination. They weren't judging him, just seeing him for the first time with curiosity, just like he was with them. He gave a low but pleased rumble in his throat which the warriors seemed to hear because they were all standing higher on him to be seen more, but he couldn't really see them without watching where he was going. He could feel that giving pats on parts of his head and neck or dredlocks, both showing and voicing their thanks to him. Reiner voiced his the loudest of course, but his voice was on the verge of breaking, after all he was home. Just like he'd told Eren and James long ago, he would return to his hometown. And now he has.

"Thank you James...for sparing me and...bringing me back to my home. Thank you.." he said while smiling and patting the area under his ears. Bertoldt began his turn and was quieter but steadier in his thanks. "I know what I've done can never truly be repaid, but I'll do everything I can to make up for it. That's the best way I can thank you for this.." James acknowledged them by giving a somewhat submissive sounding purr from his throat, but he kept his head up high.

Ymir stayed silent as she was still taking in the sights around them all, bit she managed a snarky comment with no real bite in it towards him. "Took longer than expected, but you certainly pulled through. Thanks ugly." Annie who was near the brunette lightly rapped her on the back of the head for the very last part, and very mildly but still annoyed told Ymir "Your not that better looking than he is, but I guess that's as good a thank you as I've ever heard from you." Ymir rubbed the spot where she'd been hit, not having any actual harm or injury not because she was a shifter but because the only pain was a quick sting and numbing relief easing away. She grumbled back to the blonde "Whatever Leonhardt, at least mine has skin."

Annie's reply was quick and finishing, but also teasing. "Mine still looks like a woman, especially me. But still Bertoldt seems fine riding you, least you have that." Ymir stated quiet after that, after all she'd never known Annie to tease _that_ way at her and have actual weight to it in light of Bert's confession a few days ago. James paid the entire thing no heavy amount of listening, after all he was still processing that they'd all given their thanks in their own way, even Annie. Though it hadn't been vocal, her support from Stohess to after the clash inside Rose spoke it's volume in actions and the small stuff. And that was perfectly fine for him, because now he was here.

Thanks for completing their mission, for making all the death and destruction, the loss all worth it. Being able to save their people, even if it had cost the lives of many including his family. But it isn't over yet, James and all of them still have to come through on their second self declared mission to return and set things right. But right now that wasn't on the forefront of his mind, all he wanted to do was try to enjoy his new home as much as he could. He notices that Porko and Pieck have stopped about 2 dozen meters ahead, in a space about half the size of the Stohess courtyard he battled Eren in. Obviously this was a place of some significance, and so made his way over and began to observe more of it.

The shifter scouts watch for him to approach the area more and sees that there seems to be a small statue of a group of people, and James crouched down as he got nearer to make out more details about it. It stood about 4 meters tall on a pedestal 9 feet from the ground, and depicted a woman standing tall and being worshipped by 9 other people crouched around her. They had an odd style of clothing, robes and dresses showing they were possibly some religious figures of Eldia or Shifters in general. He let the warriors walk on to his hand so he could see more of the statue after lowering them to the ground. For some odd reason he's drawn to it, like a moth to the flame.

But before he could indulge more into it he sees Porko sit on his haunches and lower his head while steam begins to curl from the body, followed shortly by Pieck doing the same. James watches for thirty seconds before he too begins to shed his shell, and crosses his legs to sit forward and begin pulling himself from his fleshy connections. After a few brief moments of blindness caused by the steam covering his eyes, James stands tall on his Titans collarbone and looks around him and the other warriors.

Annie and the others are waiting for him to come on down but Ymir seems to be looking at the strange statue as well, more interested in it than in him coming out. He doesn't blame her, after all the warriors probably know what it's about as an everyday thing of their lives but he and Ymir are different. So naturally they're curious. But what also gets his attention and therefore his interest is seeing the forms of the two who led him here.

The first one, Porko is a normal looking guy aside from his hair, it seemed two toned like Jeans was but more so of the lighter shading of hair. He was slim but maybe the size of Eren or Jean in terms of body shape, but nowhere near as tall as Jean or James himself. He seemed like maybe he was in his late teens, much like the Majority of the warriors. James looked more at his face and could see he most likely didn't smile much, in fact he looked oddly grumpy for someone who just saw friends of his returning after 5 years. Perhaps he was a little annoyed that it had taken so long, but James is sure once the warriors and himself explain that he could understand. There was something oddly familiar about his face though, it's shape and features, but James couldn't quite put a finger on it. He decided to turn his attention to the woman named Pieck who seemed about his age, much like Porko was.

She was quite a contrast with her very mellow and soft features, he could tell that she was a cheery kind of person. She had long dark hair that came to her upper back, maybe stopping just below her shoulder blades. Her face was very peaceful and kind looking, and James could tell from the way the other shifters approached her that she was the friendly type. In a off way she reminds him of Sasha and for some reason Mikasa, though he isn't sure as to why he thought of the later.

"Pieck! It's so good to see you!" Reiner yelled as he ran forward and caught the laughing girl in a tight hug and pulled her up. Bertoldt also joined in on the gig while Annie stood smiling from a small distance as she was sticking closer to James. Ymir was still looking at the statue, rather than taking part in the reunion. It seems like James was right, she was someone whom he would probably get along with quite nicely once he's spent enough time and properly introduced himself. He hears the quadraped shifter speak to her long gone friends, hearing the joy and happiness in her voice. "Gosh I've been waiting for you guys to return! We weren't sure if you had been attacked on the way there or inside those walls, but your here now! All-" her face scrunched up in slight confusion and James could see why he'd attributed her to Mikasa.

Pieck was probably someone who was revered for her intelligence much like the way Armin was, because James could see a quick but calculating look in her eyes as she looked the Warriors and himself over before her eyes settled on Ymir. He could hear the girl say quietly "What happened to Marcel? Where is he?" At this mention of the lost comrade James had seen in Ymir's memories his own eyes widened as he them looked to Porko and then to Ymir herself who seemed to hear the inquiry and looked guilty. Then he could see Porko staring at the warriors and demand a question " _What happened to Him? Answer me!"_

They all stayed silent although Bertoldt started to sweat a little bit and unknowingly sideways glanced at Ymir who seemed like she was edging towards James without trying to appear doing so. Porko noticed the motion and began to glare at Ymir, saying one word which sent a sense of deja Vu over him and the Warrior trio because James himself had said it when he learned of their identities.

" _You_."

James remembered that Marcel was the shifter who Ymir ate as a mindless Titan, completely unable to control her body and not able to remember it either until just recently. He stared at Porko a little more and his skin paled a bit as he was seeing the dead warrior's fave where Porko's was now. ' _They were brothers, twins. Why didn't I see it before?'_ He thought just as Porko seemed to come to the conclusion of Ymir having something to do with his brother's absence. James started to edge closer to her while raising his hands in a neutral stance and steady voice. "Hey now, let's just all calm down-" but he was interrupted when Galliard pointed accusingly at Ymir who flinched a small bit when he spoke at her.

"You, what the hell did you do to my brother? Where is he?!" He demanded and went to step forward when James stood in front if her and Bertoldt put a hand on his shoulder, trying to speak for a peaceful solution like the neutral person he is most of the time aside from completing his mission. "Porko wait, I- We can all explain if you just-" but the lighter haired boy immediatly shrugged it off and turned to point a finger at Reiner, seething with some sort of built up animosity, but not something new. No, James could see that this was something that's _always_ been between them from the grimacing looks on Annie's and Pieck's faces along with the crossed arms and turned away face Reiner gave. Much like the one he'd given James back in the walls when questioned about how he felt about his crimes and his personal sin against James.

"He was trying to protect YOU AGAIN, WASN'T HE?!" Porko damn near roared at the taller blonde shifter Reiners face held guilt in it even though he tried to shake the accusation off. He just couldn't help it, even if he wanted to the truth did hurt. James couldn't see the reasoning behind the accusation and decided to step in and raise his voice before the situation could escalate any further.

"Hey, that's enough! I know that your not wrong with what your thinking about your brother, but at least let them explain! It wasn't they're fault..." He began but he was once again cut off when Galliard glared at him and shouted "Stay out of this outsider! You don't know a damn thing about-!" James stepped right in his face with his fists clenched and glared at the Galliard brother with enough force to shut him up.

"I've seen it and I know _Everything. Shut your mouth and let them explain. They deserve that much for all the shit they've had to endure as well as I have."_ Porko looked ready to argue but up closer James could see that the boy's eyes were red, not with anger but with _pain_. If anything he almost looked like he wanted to cry.

He pities the boy, but he doesn't wish to side with him on this. Ymir may have been guilty but she was trapped in that form unable to do anything she would've wished. He decided to voice his small amount of sympathy lower to the boy alone while the other shifters watched with tense faces, perhaps expecting James to say some rash or harsh because they knew he'd experienced loss because of their group and didn't take well to being called ignorant of such things when his life was full of them.

"Look, I know _exactly_ what your feeling right now. Let's not fight, just talk it out. Relax yourself, you'll get you answers. I can give them to you at a later time today, but right now is not the time to point fingers. They've been waiting to see their families too. I'm sorry, but please." Galliard grimaced but stayed silent and turned away from James face, and faced the other group only a meter or so away from the small standoff. He gave a small nod and turned to walk away into the crowd of Eldia residents approaching a dozen or so feet away.

Before he entered the small and excited mob of people he turned and called to not only James but to the warriors as well. "I'll be waiting for my answers in my house Reiner. I expect you to be there along with Annie and Bertoldt. And if the other newcomer has _anything_ to do with it, she comes too. _I'll want to hear it from her mouth."_ He offered a curt but grimacing nod as he let the people walk around him, all so eager to see the warriors return as well as the two new people they brought back with them.

James went to stand bear Annie and the others, and composing himself tried to introduce himself to Pieck. "I'm sorry I had to act like that, Forgive me. I'm James-" but he found himself in a bit of shock as she smiled and spoke her name first after giving him a polite handshake and offering a tired but kind smile. "Draekon, I know. I'm good with names and things like that. I'm Pieck, it's nice to meet you." James smiled at the tone and knew she would soon become a friend with him, he liked her personality so far. "Believe me, the pleasures all mine. You wouldn't believe how long I've waited for this moment."

The dark haired girl sighed contently and gestured over her shoulder to the approaching villagers and apologized "Sorry about that, Poko has been waiting for his brother to return for years now. He'll come around, just give it some time. We've all been waiting for them to return, and you finally brought them here. I can't thank you enough." James smiled a small amount but looked both giddy and anxious as the villagers we're only a meter or so away, surrounding the small group and watching with peering and curious eyes at them all.

James stared back with open eyes, unsure how to proceed exactly. They all watched him, men women and children alike, with no hostility in their eyes at all. It was actually unnerving to James, he's never had such a reaction after people had seen his Titan form. He started to hear voices calling out from a few rows back but getting closer, all different sorts calling the names of two people he came to this place with.

"Reiner!"

"Bertoldt!

"Bertie!"

"My son!"

Out from the crowd which shuffled to allow the holders of those voices through, came 5 people. 2 of them were older women, clearly the mothers of the two. 1 was a girl no older than 11 or 12 with darker haired who ran up to Reiner and wrapped her arms around his waist in a big hug, a smile plastered on her face. The other girl was even taller than Bertoldt by a good 5 inches but had his dark hair as well. Ymir and James stared in shock and awe at the girl as she wrapped Bertoldt up in a bear hug like it was nothing and lift him up, both laughing at seeing each other.

As she put him down James could hear Ymir mutter to herself with wide eyes " _Holy shit."._ James was agreeing with Ymir's words in mind, because he was more reserved and polite about such things. Plus the girl was built like she could break all of them if she chose, even James from the looks of it.

She stood up and James could see the size difference not only in height but in build between Bertoldt and this girl who seemed to be a sister or cousin of some sort. She was definitely athletic, where Bert had long lanky thought strong limbs this girl had trained and toned with definite muscles visible beneath the clothing she wore which consists of regular sweat pants and a long sleeve shirt which showed wear and tear. This one James would rather not get on the bad side of, and he hopes Ymir feels the same sentiment for her sake.

The very last person James notices is an older man with dark grey hair with small trails of white striped here and there through it. He wasn't as tall as Bert or the girl James assumed was his sister, because the old man came up to Bert's chest and already seemed to be hunched over from she wearing on him. This man must've been Bert's father, and James was able to confirm his analysis with a smile as the man slowly put his arms around the collasal shifter and Bertoldt lowered his head to hug the man back with his eyes closed.

"Father..." James and Ymir heard the lanky shifter say with his voice threatening tears of joy to come out, and saw one of the older women also dark haired, approach and hug the pair of men like there was no tomorrow. As this was happening James also noticed Reiner pick up the little girl and spin her around while she laughed, and the other woman who he noticed had blondish hair underneath her head scarf look upon the two with weary but happy eyes as well.

"Reiner I've missed you so much!" James heard the little girl say and saw the blonde Hair shifter also laughing much like he would in the days of the 104th training, a happier time for all of them despite the hidden guilt and grim knowledge of still having a mission to complete. Back when everyone thought of him as the supportive big brother because of how he always helped everyone out, it seems like James hasn't seen that part of him since before they all graduated. The day before the second attack would stop and the mission changed completely in method but with a attainable goal in sight. He heard the blonde respond "It's good to be back Gabi, trust me we've been wanting to come back for a while."

 _'Gabi, so that's her name. Well that's one down. Still 4 left but...I don't see Annie's father or mother?'_ James thought to himself, slightly confused and also worrying as his kind went over the possibilities of why they weren't present. Then again he could be overreacting and they could still be heading towards them, but he had to think back to what Annie had discreetly told him if her home without giving away her secret. He remembers she only mentioned that her father trained her in hand to hand from a young age, maybe a year or two after he'd already shifted for the first time, but she never mentioned her mother. Since James still hadn't been comfortable with talking about his own family at the time, neither had decided to push the other very far with the subject.

Well either way he would know soon enough, especially if Annie claimed he would be living with her for a short while before James could make his own home in this place. So right now he would take the opportunity to see the other warriors families while they're here in front of him. Plus he'd be able to meet them and get a feel on just how his friends might've been raised up in this place in comparison to himself.

The woman James assumed was Reiners mother came up smiling softly to him and he could see her eyes filled with a sense of pride and relief, happy that her son was safe and came home to her. And just like the day Trost happened, James understood but couldn't exactly sympathize since he only received that treatment after he ran away and came back. This woman had sent her son either willingly or not to help protect their people as a whole, an the probably knew the risks and such beforehand. James hadn't, he'd been trained and deceived until he asked for his answer the same day he ran away.

"Hello Reiner, you look tired. How about you come home and rest? After all you've had a long journey, would you like that? I could cook you something, you look famished." She spoke with obvious concern and Reiner and James was happy to see the blonde respond with all a childish sense of affection in his voice. "I'd like that Mom, but first I'd like to introduce you to my friends." He gestures towards James and Ymir who now stands with the rest of the group away from the statue, evidently not comfortable with something on her mind. Maybe he'd ask her later about it.

Pointing to himself first Reiner got ready to tell his name but James decides to step forward and introduce himself instead, not wanting to appear shy or such. "I'm James Draekon, it nice's to meet you mam. I'm...a friend of your son's." The elder woman bowed her head and replied back "What a polite young man, how nice. I'm Karina Braun, little Reiner's mother. Welcome to our village." James being polite smiled back at the greeting and the welcome, and he sees her eyes turn to face the other newcomer who had yet to reveal her name. "And you, young lady?" Ymir looked very hesitant for some reason James couldn't figure out, and before it could be awkward Bertoldt stepped up and decided to speak for her.

"Sorry, um this is Ymir, she decided to come with us. She also helped us escape from the Walls." At these words alot of people's eyes looked confused about the name, which caused James to ask the obvious question. "Is... something wrong with that?"

At these words Bertoltd's mother steps up and merely said "Well it just seems a little odd, because Ymir is the name of the woman standing there on the pedestal surrounded by the first Titan shifters." She gestured over to the statue and James took the chance to walk closer to it and inspect the small engravings underneath.

" _ **Ymir Fritz, Mother of all those who walk in two bodies."**_

James looked to the statue up close and could see great details woven through each of them, but the one he knew would be Ymir since she was the tallest as well as the centerpiece surprised him _. In fact, he could actually see the features of Ymir standing by Bertoldt on the carved stone woman before him. It was actually quite surreal to see, almost like his dream of his gone family before reclaiming his home._ He reread the title and description of Ymir Fritz to himself, focusing on those last two words the most.

 _'Two bodies? Is that a reference to both the human and Titan forms? And even more so that Ymir_ _the one we know, is named after her and even looks like her... Very interesting indeed.'_ James kept his thoughts to himself since he still did want to ask Ymir of her past from her own perspective, but he voiced his discovery to the village people. "I never knew that there was someone you were named after Ymir. I think you and I need to have a little talk of our own here." The freckled brunette rolled her eyes at him as if he'd annoyed her, but he could tell from years of knowing her that she wasn't feeling good at the moment. This fact apparently made her uncomfortable, so he wouldn't push it in front of all these people. He did hear her mutter "Yeah whatever..." He decided to change the subject altogether to spare her the lack of privacy the moment currently offered.

"So you gonna introduce me to your sister Bert? It's not everyday I see someone taller than you." James comments and the boy laughed while sweating a tiny bit "Your right, I'm so used to being the tallest back in the walls, I'd forgotten what it's like to be shorter than her. James, Ymir, this is my ahem, big sister Freya. Shes-"

"Taller slightly older and definitely more fun." The girl continues for him as she rested a gigantic hand on the Collasal Shifter's shoulder and extended her other arm for James or Ymir to shake but only the former had the courage (and the manners) to return it. Surprisingly the girls grip while firm wasn't a crushing one despite her intimidating exterior, but then again James knew all too well what that felt like. What did catch his attention was the gigantic girl eyeing him up and down longer than she had Ymir who'd only given a nod of acknowledgement as oppose to shaking Freya's hand.

The next words to spill from Bertoldt's sister were quite unexpected but only low enough for him to hear since James was closest to her aside from Bert himself. "Well well what a find, tall, athletic looking, good hair, kinda cute-" the words almost made James go red with embarrassment because aside from Annie, no girl he'd met had ever said or expressed any interest like THAT towards him. He was actually speechless at the moment and rubbed his nape sheepishly while choosing to look away "Eh...uh.. I'm actually-"

"Taken. By _Me_." The words finished for him were from none other than Annie herself who came slowly to stand by James side and shot Freya an annoyed glance mixed with a subtle threat. The same kind she'd shoot Mikasa back in training for trying to get rough in a fight against James that might've been in retaliation for his usual and voluntary spars with Eren. But the mild glare didn't seem to phase the obviously larger girl at all and she gave a friendly laugh to blow off the comment. "Ah is that little Annie? Damn you grew...by half a foot. Seems your still the same angry little shortstack from back then." She snarked and Annie rolled her eyes in an unamused way, never liking the comments on her height from anyone. "Har har. Now if you'd please back up." Annie stated as a vein twitched ever so slightly on the side of her head. This wasn't the way she envisioned returning, hell she hasn't even seen her father yet.

Freya held both hands up in mock surrender of the much smaller girl's statement and jokes back with her. "You don't have to worry, I'm not interested in stealing another girl's Man. But I am surprised you were the one to get with someone out of you three. You were always the quietest of them and just hit anyone you didn't like. My poor brother and Reiner really couldn't get anyone?"

The comments seemed to annoy Reiner a bit but make Bertoldt sweat more with wider eyes when the tall blonde stepped forward to defend himself. "Hey I did find someone, but just couldn't bring her back. And besides Bertie here actually-" but the sweating shifter decided to cut across his best friends rant with clear anxiety. "Reiner! I told you it's not fully like that!" But despite his protesting his sister and parents seemed to catch on fast. His mother spoke with more joy in her voice "You did? Where is she Bertie? Did she have to stay back like Reiner's?" His father seemed faster in tongue and swifter in thinking when he smiled a asked with a scratchy throated voice "Is it this young lady here? The one named after our Goddess?"

At this Ymir scowled and turned away to hide her face from them but being surrounded by many people, it didn't do much for her. Bertoldt's parents decided to introduce themselves to James and Ymir as well, though this time Ymir was giving them her full attention even if her cheeks were red. Had James been a smartass he would've made a comment about meeting the parents of your husband or something to that effect, but he wasn't Jean or Connie. But he still has his moments from time to time, but now wasn't one of them. His mother stepped forward and James could see she was older than Karina by at least a good 6 years, however she was still nice to him. "Hello young Draekon, my name is Asylla, and this is my husband Osckar. We're both very grateful for your help in bringing our son and the others back."

His father spoke up with that scratchy voice of his, perhaps not only old age wearing away at him but perhaps working with coal or in a mine of some sort since James remembered Reiner mentioning that on the way here days ago. "It's an honor to meet you lad, I hope you can learn to live here as best as the rest of us can. You seem strong enough to do so, young man like yourself." James chuckled at that, because the man in front of him had no idea how right he was, but he still gave thanks for the good luck and such. But before he could ask about a certain blonde's home she did it for him.

Annie decided to cut through the reunion by asking Karina a question that James too wanted to know. "Ms Braun, I hate to be rude but do you or Mr and Mrs Hoover know where my father is?" The older Women and Man looked a bit surprised but Karina was the first to speak. "Well I did see him performing his usual shopping the other day and asked how he was doing. He still was optimistic you were returning soon, kept saying he had a feeling. He might be asleep in his cabin."

Asylla spoke up as well, urging the two "Why don't you go see him with your...little lover? I'm sure he'd want to see you in private, as well as him. You know how he is." She told Annie and the blonde smiled faintly as memories began to come forth. Some bad, others good, but enough to make her know exactly what she means. He was a quiet man, and liked his privacy at most times much like herself. But things did change once she'd met James, there was no denying that. She herself had changed, hell they all have. Bertoldt and Reiner weren't the same little kids she hung out with before.

Annie bowed her head to the older mothers and gave them her gratitude "I will be, thank you. Are you up for that James? Just you and me going to see him?" She asked and James found himself looking at her for a moment softly, and he gave one of those smiles like he did when they first got closer in training. The kind that she found herself looking forward to seeing each day, and the kind he loved to put on her face. He spoke to her in a warm voice, and walked closer to her. "Sure, I'd like that very much. Shall we?" He asked and gestured with his hand for her to lead the way, which she did as the crowd decided to open up and let them pass. They had the other shifters to look at and question. Right now, James had only one thing in his mind.

He wants to meet Annie's father, and nothing was gonna stop him from doing so.


	102. Eldia-Parentage

**Aannnnnd I am BACK! New chapter here as you can see, sorry about the delay with last chapter but this one will be up faster I _PROMISE_ since it'll most likely be out by my birthday which is just after the first week of March. Updates for all my stories will be coming soon, Sorry for you suffering Awakening and Web of ****Hearts fans since those two are taking the longest to update at the moment but they will be back very soon. Well I've said enough this time, let's dive right on in shall we? As usual drop a review.** **Let us begin.**

 **Song recommendations for this one are:**

 **Licht unn Schatten-** **Yutaka Yamanda**

 **I'm Back Home** **\- Hiroyuki Sawano** ( ** _Highly recommend._ The title itself says it perfectly.)**

 **Hearing the Heartbeat- Hiroyuki Sawano (It's Fucking amazing how well this fits in so many situations in AoT and this story in particular.)**

 **Attack on Dina- Hiroyuki Sawano**

 **Omake Pfadlib- Hiroyuki Sawano**

 _Eldia-Parentage._

The walk to Annie's father was somewhat of a long one, since he chose to live father away from the clustered buildings that composed a good amount of the village itself but James didn't mind it much. In fact he actually was grateful because it gave him ample time to try and prepare himself for actually meeting the man who raised his girlfriend, and picturing what his initial reaction to James might be. His thoughts weren't really troubled, James mind was in a more peaceful state of mind because of all the new things he was experiencing in the village so far.

From meeting the people to introducing himself to the Warriors families, it's all been something he's been searching for quite a while now but now that it's here, he actually feels _overwhelmed_ in a way. He took a deep breath as he followed where Annie was leading him, observing the area both by habit and also curiosity. After all this place was going to be his home for a while, before he leaves to help his friends and maybe even begins constructing his _own home_ once he finishes that. But first he has to continue his mission,

The pair were walking along a small forest path which had a clear indication of where to go from the 10 meter division on both sides of them. It had been used and cleared of vegetation in order for it to be utilized for transportation as well as shifters of smaller size getting through on the path there traveled now with ease. The trees around here were quite tall though perhaps only half a dozen taller than Annie's own Titan, but they certainly were of a different species than what he's seen before. They had thick trunks that had a odd but interesting type of leafs that flowed down like hair from the branches which each of the main limbs had plenty of. Long and stringy, almost like grain grass but James never saw such growth from a tree before. It was quite beautiful to simply watch, and even though he has a destination in mind right now, he can't help but keep an eye on them. To James they looked very peaceful, and for some strange reason ticklish, and he couldn't help but brush up against one of them as he and Annie continue to walk.

The home James could see up ahead was a nice one, made with limber that seems to be used directly from the trees that once stood where the settlement was now. It was a single story, a door in the very center of the front while a double pair of windows sat on each side of it and spread out to show they were separate rooms. Overall it was surprising to see, the small yard area in front was well maintained, and James was even surprised to see a small patch of flowers on the left side of the doorway and under one of the windows. The porch was devoid of anything aside from a old rocking chair that sat nearest the front door, and a normal flat chair on the other side. Both were crafted from the same type of wood the house was made from, which also prompted James curiosity to think that Annie's father might've been a Craftsman as well as a experienced fighter like Annie had told him.

She told James along the way that he used the surrounding woods for training herself in her Titan form, but closer to the house James began to see tall poles staked in the ground with large mats on them. He smiled faintly as he put it together on why the mats were there, along with trying to remember every bit of small information Annie had told him of her childhood, how she was raised. Just like him, to be a fighter from day to night. It was another thing that brought them closer, because they _were_ able to relate and understand each other because of those experiences.

 _Training_ mats.

They appeared to have been weathered down and torn both by time and by being used so much years ago, then again James isn't sure how much useful they were nowadays since Annie has been gone for such a long time. And yet even still they looked just like the broken trees that used to lay in front of _his_ own home back in Shinganshina. That must've meant that Annie trained on these _alot_ with her father when she was younger, and surely the sight must've been bringing back memories from the way James noticed she was looking at them. It was an odd look, one that held fond nostalgia but also something akin to bittersweetness, much like the feeling James felt when thinking about his own past. He figured he'd break the silence first as the door started to come into view. "Well I hope he's awake, I'd hate to disturb him while he's sleeping-" but Annie nudged his shoulder with her own which brought his eyes to her.

He looked to her face with a raised eyebrow and sees her smirking at him almost in disbelief and _smugness_ if he's seeing her right. He asked her with a bit of anxiety that he was having and genuine defensiveness at being caught off guard. " _What?_ I don't want to make a bad first-" but before he could continue Annie interrupted him with a small laugh and some curious eyes on her face. He felt a little irked that she was so much calmer than he was, because if anything she should've been more on edge than he is. She put her right hand under his chin and brushed her thumb across it absentmindedly, something she knew mellows him out from... _private_ moments during their time as cadets.

"You think that my father, someone who from what Reiner's mother told is, _still_ _keeps_ hope of me returning, who hasn't seen his daughter for five long years is going to feel less enthusiastic meeting You because we might've woken him up during a nap he's most likely not even taking?" Annie asked, her voice filled with humor and a bit of sarcasm that had Ymir come along would've been proud to hear. He looked at her skeptically and asked her "You seem awfully talkative, and don't seem nervous. Don't tell me you've done this before?" He teased and felt a small laugh rise from his throat when Annie rolled her eyes and then scowled before putting both of her arms around his waist. He returns the gesture and even lay his head on hers as they stood there. They were less than five feet from the door and for done reason they both were talking low to each other, a contrast to how they were on the way here from the main hub of the Eldia.

" _Of course not_ , I'm every bit as nervous as you are right now. But I'm also very excited, for seeing my father when I thought before that I was going to die back in Stohess. You know that, you saw what I saw. I just want to feel happy that we're home, _together_. That you and I can have some peace away from all that for right now. Just you and me like we agreed, but I _have_ to see him again. And I want you two to meet each other. Even if I seem fine to you, I'm nervous as all hell. Why wouldn't I be?" She confessed and James thought on what she's said, remembering the words she'd said to herself when _he_ smashed in Eren's head, screaming he would destroy the world. He felt chills run low through his body, partially at again recalling Annie's sorrowful acceptance of Death if it truly called for her, and his own words.

' _She was so afraid at that moment, and she could only think about keeping her promise to her father. And because I stopped Eren, because I did what had to be done, I helped her keep it.'_ James thinks to himself before his thoughts cloud and darken a little.

James knows _many_ things about himself, it was a side effect of being alone and doing things by himself for such a large portion of his life. Before Home fell, He always had Eve as an emotionally stable rock for him to cling to. His parents were momore akin to dirt or mud, sure you coul _d_ have a grip, but it could also easily disappear. With Her James felt the need and instinct to _protect_ , to nurture, defend with every fiber of his being from the cruelties this world would throw at her. But that had all changed when he saw her body, crushed with rubble after Reiner broke through the inner gate. A part of him had died that day, a large part of his own humanity. First his parents only a half hour before because of Bertoldt, then he had to keep his head as straight as he could to escort Eren's family and Eve to the boats.

Then he sent her off with them in hopes of her getting on and escaping while he defended the gate from Titans and making sure the city was properly evacuated. _Then_ Reiner had shown up, the pair had fought brutally for a good 15 minutes with just about everything they had. _Almost everything_ , because both James and Reiner didn't intend to actually kill one another, even though James had spilled the blood of a person already. Reiner had come to destroy in order to save, and so was ready to do what he had to to protect his, _their_ people. Looking back with Reiner's memories of that day, James could see just what the blonde warrior had felt. And even if he will _never_ forget what he's done, he doesn't think he could bring himself to kill him for it and feel the same lust for vengeance he once sought.

Because he's found one other person who he can really commit that much to, and even further so in different ways. _Annie._ He's already abandoned the walls for her, he's fought and killed _dozens_ in pursuing and protecting her from harm. He's nearly killed friends of his doing so, and a small part of that scares him. James isn't sure what he would do without her, if something were to happen and she dies... Nothing would really matter to him anymore.

Sure he has his family of the 104th, and his friends in the warriors, but he still holds her above all of them. Only Sasha would come close to the level of care he has for Annie, and that's because she helped him when he was broken _before_ losing his family. Annie and him bonded during training, almost from the start, even if they hadn't been a couple till the end of their first year. He doesn't know how he'd react to something like that happening again, despite him knowing that she wouldn't just sit on the sidelines in any fight.

"Your right Ann, we're both nervous and both excited. But you and I are finally here, just like you said." She smiled and James pulled her into a hug and whispers into her ear. " _And don't worry, as long as I'm here I won't let you die. If you were to...well you heard my words in Stohess. **I will stick by those until the day I die.** "_ Annie stiffened slightly in his hold and gasped a bit, but she didn't feel intimidated by the words. Far from it actually, she felt reassured in her safety even more than she already does with him. She whispered back to his own ear " _I love you James."_ She could hear him say the same to her before turning around to face the front door.

" _And I love you too Ann. Now let's do this, side by side."_

Now it was time, time for them to actually go and knock on the door and meet _him._ They couldn't just stand here all day and stare at the entrance, not doing anything. James decides to make the first move and knock lightly on the door three times, and feels himself holding Annie just a bit tighter than before. She too holds on to him, her own anticipation building as they both stare and wait for it to open. A few moments pass before the door actually opened, although not fully, more to a few inches just to see who had knocked. James could see the man inside looking at him with mild interest, but he couldn't make out too many facial features aside from the eyes staring at him through the crack.

Icy blues just like Annie's, although they seemed dull, like all the life and joy they might've once held weren't there anymore. These were the same eyes James had seen on his father's face when he went home, although his father seemed more alive because he had to take care of Eve as well as his mother. From James understanding and memory, Annie was the only child he'd had, and she never mentioned her own mother. Whether it had bad memories or tragic ones attached to it, James didn't know and never brought it up out of respect for Her. But he knows it will come up at some point in the future, how soon or how far away has yet to be determined.

"Can I help you young man? I'm not one for visitors normally. What is your buinesses?" He asked in a gruff voice although it wasn't filled with anger or such, just the voice type that he had. Like how Reiner had that brotherly feeling in his, Ymir her signature snark even if she was serious, Armin with his vibes of intelligence but not full confidence in everything he said. James could tell that this was just how he spoke, and answers Annie's father with some hesitation but respect nonetheless. "Well um, uh Sir my name is James, and I'm an outsider to the village, I've just arrived with your other Warriors and-"

He was interrupted when the man's eyes widened and the door opened more to allow both of them a better look at each other, and that's when Mr Leonhardt's eyes focused on his daughters face as she stood next to James with a small and hesitant smile on her own face. James could that sense of lost energy returning to the man's eyes the longer he looked at his daughter.

" _Annie? Is that... really, you're home?"_ He asked and his face was full of disbelief, and James guessed that he was experiencing some shock at this reunion which was very understandable.

A father who raised his daughter to be a fierce fighter and then regretting someone it when she finally had to leave to do so is something that no parent would take lightly. His parents were almost the exception to that statement, because they had missed him terribly when he ran away from home, and yet still hadn't apologized for what they'd done. Sure he had some sort of closure in that dreamscape he experienced before returning to Shinganshina, but even in his mind they still stood by the way they raised him because it's made him what he is now. One of the thoughts and facts that James has trouble deciding on how he feels, and always seemed to never have an answer for.

 _'Should I hate them or thank them for it? I've accepted what they did because it's already done and it's not possible to change back from, but they never said they were sorry for all of it. Did they die knowing... thinking I would successfully protect Eve because of what they did...and I even with all the training and such, I still failed to do so. So what do I really think about it, the reason for so many things in my life up to this point?'_ James thought quietly to himself as Annie and her father still stared at one another, both seemed unsure what to do, or who should move first. Finally his blonde love spoke up to reply to her father's question.

"It's really me dad...I'm home. I came back, just like you wanted me to." She said with a small and hesitant smile on her face, and the sight made James lose some of his nervousness seeing her in such a way. Not under pressure of being in combat or stressed out trying to reach a goal or destination, just actual peace and quiet. Her father must've felt the same for her came out and wrapped her up in a gig slowly, and she returned it immediatly, the both of them caught up in their moment of reunion while James watched. He could hear her father saying things to her quietly in her ear, because he stood no less than 3 feet from the pair.

"I'm so sorry Annie, you have no idea how long I've been waiting to see if you were alright...if you were alive. But I knew you would come, I kept hoping for it. I'm so glad to see you again. Forgive me for what-" he started to apologise but she stopped him with a squeeze before pulling back and staring into his sorrowful and guilty face. Her own eyes had some tears threatening to fall from the corners of her eyes, but she still had that watery smile on her face as she held her father's head in her hands while his were on her shoulders.

"Dad, you don't have to say that. We both did what we had to, you trained me and I volunteered for the mission. We didn't have a choice, none of us did. But that's over now, we're back. And there's... Someone I want you to meet. Someone who helped bring me back." She finished as she turned to face James, who stood there with some wariness when her father then began to look at him again. He stared at the armored shifter for a good ten seconds before he asked his daughter without moving his head. "And I take it he is this person?" Annie nodded at the same time James bowed his head slowly to show respect, and she began to speak with some nervousness in her voice.

"Y-yes dad, this is James, James Draekon. I met him 3 years ago when Reiner, Bertoldt and I tried to infiltrate their military. We talked briefly and began to train in combat with each other, and got to know each other really well." She said and her father's eyes narrowed a tiny bit, but not in a threatening way, more inquisitive than anything. He stepped closer to James and he could see the small difference in their height, with Mr Leonhardt being a full head taller than James, but only a few inches taller than Reiner. "Is that so young man? You've known my daughter for 3 years now? And been with her...since that time?" He asked and James found himself nodding his head with more confidence in him at the moment. He finally spoke for the first time since he knocked on the door.

"Yes sir, that's right. I met her when I also enrolled in the 104th cadet corps, along with the other warriors. We trained, bled and fought for 3 years, eventually graduating to become official soldiers of humanity. But things...changed. My allegiances began to weaken when the Collasal Titan attacked the city we were in, a district called Trost, and I was forced to transform in order to save her life. I fought against the mindless Titans that streamed into the city and nearly consumed her, and in return there were guns pointed at a friend of mine who was also a shifter who had no idea of his power while I had remained undiscovered.

After he and I used our abilities to retake the city he was given a military trial while I stayed inconspicuous and voiced for his defense along with the rest of our class, including Annie. Her mission then demanded that I and my friend come back here because we were both identified as the Coordinates your village needed, and Annie attempted a kidnapping which I ruined because I transformed and chased her, somewhat angered since she never told me that she was like me in that way." James finished as he went to take a breath and Her Father's look urged him to continue, although at a different place.

"Why don't we take this inside, it seems that your two's story has more to it. Come inside." He told the pair and they walked into the inside of Annie's home. James eyes were taking in as many details as he could, since Annie had claimed it would be both of their home for some time. James wasn't as opposed to the idea as before since her father hasn't come off as not liking him, well _not yet at least._ But James does still mean what he said before, eventually he does want a home of his own here in this village, somewhere he and Annie could have their privacy and live their life together. Not that there was anything wrong with living with her father for a time, but genuine hospitality from strangers has never been his strong suit.

The inside of the cabin was somewhat basic, a living area branching off from a kitchen to the left, and a hallway on his right told him that they probably led to some sleeping areas and other rooms as well. Despite it's size from the outside the inside was quite large, even for three people. A table which had three chairs sat near the kitchen, and on it James could see a mug with some sort of drink with steam coming from the top, perhaps a tea of sorts. The living room had something akin to a small couch and a stool near it while a smaller table sat in the middle of that area. Annie's father gestured to the main kitchen table and took his place once more. Annie and James sat on opposite sides of each other although it did nothing to bother them in the slightest, after all the table was a circular shape made of that same wood as the chairs outside and now that James looks more, _inside as well._ James watched as her father took a quick sip before rising and offering them done as well. "Anything I can get you both? Food, drink?" He asked.

Surprisingly Annie declined, telling her father "I'm fine dad, but maybe later we can make something." He nodded and asked James what he would like. "And you Mr Draekon?"James quickly pondered his options, not wanting to seem impolite at refusing hospitality but not exactly being good at accepting it either. He made the decision within a few seconds.

"Just a drink would be fine sir." James told her father and he nodded before going to grab a cup from a nearby cupboard, and pours see of the same drink he had in his cup from a small kettle. He returns to the table and hands the new cup over to James, and the newcomer took a quick look at the drink before taking a sip. It was actually pretty good, definitely some sort of tea from taste and the small mint leaves in it floating at the top. He hummed in appreciation and looked to her father as he sat down. "Thank you sir, this tastes great. It's been a while since any of us has had anything other than water since we began our journey here."

"Is that so? Well tell me more. Go on about chasing after my daughter" he finishes with a semi hard tone because of the implications of where he'd left off sounding like James had _attacked Annie._ He'd done nothing of the sort, and wanted to make that clear to her father in as calm and collected of a tone as he could keep at that statement.

"Well I wasn't chasing her with the intention of hurting her, I wanted answers because she liked to me about what she was after I revealed myself to protect her. I don't regret that decision one bit, but it hurt when she kept that from me. I felt like a monster, and I was scared she would reject me when she knew what I was. It was a godsend when she didn't, but that's because she was a shifter as well." James finished and Annie grimaced a little bit in the middle of his explanation, and her father seemed to understand the feeling of betrayel James described briefly. "I see, well continue." He told James and the shifter went on.

"While I was angry, I didn't hate Annie at all. I was actually happy that she could understand what I felt, and that she was perfectly fine with defending herself from Titans. I already knew how great she was in hand to hand, she's the only person who can match me just about every time, but I was happy that she could fight at the same level I did against Titans. I've been on the receiving end of enough kicks and been flipped enough times to know she could keep herself safe." James finished and he could see Annie's father had a gleam of pride in his eyes as he casually glanced at his daughter for the praise James had given. Her cheeks were a bit red from the way James had spoken about her being the only one who could challenge him as an equal, but not being boastful about either. Just stating what he knows from experience, and her father could tell that like his daughter did as well.

"When I almost caught her, we were both captured and restrained by the military forces who we had to defend ourselves from, but I broke loose first and...disposed of them when they went to attack us once again. Annie was still trapped, and I began to discuss everything up to that point. She explained her mission, the situation with the Haired Giants and the Beast Titan as well who attacked her only an hour before." As James finished Her Father's eyes widened and he looked to his daughter.

"Is that true? You met it?!" He asked her urgently and she nodded slowly with a grimace before explaining her side of the 57th expedition. "Yes, it attacked me by sending a group of Titans after me. The plan was for me to transform and grab James and Eren before I would meet up with Reiner and Bertoldt at a later time once they would hear the news of a Titan kidnapping their two shifters. I waited in a small forest along the right flank of the formation when it emerged, and I knew I wouldn't be able to fight them all with him also being there, so I ran and led the Titans that followed into the more experienced soldiers on that side of the formation. I knew none of my friends would be there, even though I know I doomed those men." She finished with a guilty voice towards the end and her father sighed. James could see him struggling to say something, so James decides to speak to her first.

"Annie we talked about this, you only did what you had to do. You didn't have a choice, none of you really did. Neither did I, and we endured to go to here right?" He asked softly as Annie closed her eyes and took a deep breath, before sighing to herself. Her father watched closely to her reaction to the words and found himself impressed with the words of comfort. He saw her composing herself and looking more calm, but not the way he was used to seeing her be calm, with her looking bored aside from fighting. She looked more... relaxed, at peace with herself. It lightened up her father's mood considerably that she was able to feel this was around this young man. He decided to push through after pulling one of his daughters hands into his own worn and scarred ones.

"Annie, are you alright?" He asked and she nodded before smiling a tiny bit to her father, and she spoke to him then. "Yeah, I'm good dad. Just had to stop focusing on all the bad stuff now that we're here. We've been wanting to get back and enjoy home so much, and yet here I am not taking part in it. I just have to relax, I'm no, _we're Home."_ Annie finished with a bit more control in her voice, and he smiled at her. "Yes you are honey, you're back. And now we can enjoy some peace and quiet, together."

At this Annie smiles at him before saying "Thank you Father, but I have a question to ask you. About us being here." Her father caught the small emphasis on the word "us" and had a feeling he knew exactly what she was going to ask before she did so. He seemed to have a small amused smirk on his face when he asked her "Does it have anything to do with the man you brought with you?" She nodded slowly at being caught off guard, and James also looked a bit nervous. He'd known this was definitely going to be brought up at some point, but there was no way he could prepare himself for it. He still feels uncomfortable because he's never been good with genuine hospitality from anyone.

He had trouble with Sasha's father offering him a home for saving his daughter from death, and he was going to have another hard time trying not to feel that same way. But both scenarios were very similar, he's saved two people from death and returned them to their fathers, and there was some chance of him being given a home in gratitude for doing it. James just doesn't want to feel useless or think he's a burden, despite Annie reassuring him that he wouldn't be one. But he's getting ahead of himself, her father has even asked if he wished to stay here yet, and James hasn't been able to percieve how the man felt about him yet. So far he hadn't shown any outright hateful expressions, nor has he said anything rude or cold to him, so it was a good sign.

"That's right, he doesn't actually have anywhere else to go, his family is...not around anymore. And he wants to live in the village permanently." She explained and James finished for her "Would it be alright if I stay here for a time Mr Leonardt?"

He stayed silent as Annie looked to him and her...boyfriend, observing both of their faces, noting they both held anticipation as well as reserved nervousness So far he hasn't seen anything to make him distrust the boy, he's acted polite, explained his situation although he hadn't heard of his parents aside from Annie's brief mention of his family no longer being around, which meant they were no longer _living._

He sighed as he registered that fact, but there was nothing he could do about it. If the boy truly had nowhere to go, and if Annie seemed persistent on keeping him and staying with him, then he would allow the boy to stay. He's a decent enough man from what he's seen so far, but he would have to have a few... private talks with him in the future, maybe even a spar in both of their forms. If he was anything like John or Selene, then Torik knew he was in for a good fight when it came. He smiled a little bit and decided to let the two know his answer.

"Well I suppose there would be no problem if he stayed, as long as he helps contribute to the village and putting meat on the table every now and then. If he can accept that, then he can call this place home until he decides to search elsewhere for one of his own." He told them and saw their faces flush and relax with the positive acceptance, and added one more snippet of his mind. "Now for sleeping arrangements, I'm sorry to say this house only has two bedrooms. It may not be suitable for you to sleep on the floor, so you may have the living room-"

"Actually Dad, um...James and I are perfectly fine with sharing a room, we're used to being hunted with multiple people and we've also slept very close to each other." Annie interrupted without looking directly at her father, whose eyes narrowed a tiny bit and turned to James when he quickly explained "During our training we had to pair up in wildness survival tests, one of which took place during the winter so we had to stay close to each other to stay warm. That's all she means Mr Leonhardt."

Her father grunts and hmphed a small bit, dismissing the words because he had a pretty clear idea what the man meant by staying warm. And even though he allowed the boy residence here, he still wasn't exactly thrilled with that fact, let alone the one regarding his daughter returning with a man. "Nevermind that, and please Draekon, call me Torik. Since we're going to be talking more and being around each other, we should skip past such formalities. As long as you protect my daughter and never hurt her, you are fine in my eyes. Keep it that way and we will get along." Torik finished with a mildly clipped voice which softened towards the end even if there was a small threat woven in that last sentence. James being grateful for the acceptance nodded his head and voiced his thanks.

"I will sir, and thank you for the chance to stay here. You were right, I will be looking for a home in the future once I complete my mission, but for now I think we should get used to being home."


	103. Eldia-Family Matters

**And it's here! Happy to see how you all thought of last chapter, a little short but sweet one. Sorry for the delay but once again longer chapters require more time. This is going to be a little bit more exciting in a few ways, and therefore this chapter is going to be much longer. Much shorter authors note here, but the chapter will show the reason why. Future plot detail I hope you all can catch. Well tell me what you think in a review, let us begin.** **Music** **recommendations:**

 **Wanderers** - **Tokyo** **Ghoul**

 **The** **Weight of Lives- Hiroyuki** **Sawano**

 **Attack** **ON Titan, (Armored Titan version although the original is great too. I just happen to love the nZk version because it has extra vocals that you can't hear in the original.)- Hiroyuki Sawano**

 **2volt- Hiroyuki** **Sawano**

 **Ending of Chapter- Kisetsu was tsugitsugi shindeiku- Amazarashi**

 **Also there's a reference to a a favorite science fiction/thriller horror book and movie in the second half of the Chapter. Let's see who can spot it. Tell me in the reviews if you caught it!**

 _Eldia-Family Matters._

 _The_ _hair was dark and long as the woman brushed it as she sat in front of a mirror, not taking too much interest in the act. She felt depressed, all this power she possessed and she still had to uphold the families traditions. Even though she wished_ _she could do something for those people suffering, she was bound. Not with actual chains, but chains linked to her heart and family. A family which though she were part of felt as if she was more akin to a rider and his horse. True both needed one another, but they were not equals._

 _She sighed again as she_ _continues to brush her hair before looking into the mirror before her, her green eyes staring back at her bitterly as she prepared to die within the week. It was almost time now. But if she went through with this, then her sister would be safe. The one sister she hates having to leave because of the cruel world and family she was born into and treated as if she were the most despicable of vermin. All except her, she cared and loved her sister more than anything. It's why she would be able to sacrifice herself._

 _._

James began to wake up from yet another strange dream he's had since the dual Coordinate incident with Eren over a week ago. He hasn't mentioned it to Annie or anyone else yet, though he knows at some point that he'll have to. But he at least wishes to know _why_ the hell he was seeing it over and over, why it seemed so _real_ to him, and strangely enough, why the woman in the mirror seemed so _familiar_ to him. Like he'd seen her face somewhere, and yet as James once again went through his memories he couldn't find her at all. It was a nagging thought to him, and it didn't feel like it was going to come to him anytime soon. He shook his head and began to sit up in the bed before he realized there was an arm draped on him. An arm belonging to the actual owner of the bed, Annie. He smiled when he heard and sees that she's still asleep, and that her actions were her subconsciousness reaching out for him. His thoughts turned to what he was doing today.

For about two days now James has been living in Annie's father's house, and since arriving James has been finding himself in full observation of the new surroundings he was now apart of. Her father James was starting to get an understanding of, his movements, some habits, but he seemed more like a reserved version of his own daughter which made it harder. James recalls just how long it actually took for Annie to open up to him, even when their initial first meeting hadn't ended on the friendliest of terms. But like how he had managed to get through to her, James was sure that he would find a way to fully know Torik as well. Today he wanted to do something exciting like maybe a spar or two with Annie, or asking Pieck to give him a tour of the valley. Of course he could've easily down a simple fly over but he preferred to have someone to talk to who knows the area best. The only reason he wasn't asking Annie to do so was she's been gone for 5 years, things change over time. Even she would have to readjust a small degree, but James want to know everything currently. Plus he wanted to give her a break, not make it seem like he had to rely on her too much like a parasite. And since Pieck was the only _friendly_ Eldian border Scout that he knows right now, she fit the bill. Still hopefully he would make more friends or at least learn about some of the others during his time here.

Porko on the other hand hadn't been too good of company, so James had decided to leave him alone. Even after James had gone with the other Warriors later that night to tell of what exactly happened with Marcel, he still seemed bitter towards them, Ymir and Reiner especially. His brash and somewhat rude personality reminded the armored shifter of Jean back when they first met in training, but with less likability compared to the two toned boy of the 104th. James could understand the feeling of loss the two tone haired boy felt, he'd lost people to Reiner _and_ Bertoldt. But he's moved on from it enough that he doesn't want to kill them, especially seeing first-hand how it felt and how it's affected them to this point. Had he not seen it through their eyes, then things might been different between them. James would probably still want to take their heads if the chance ever arose, but since that wasn't the case anymore he's been forced to focus his anger and drive towards other things. Other targets set in his sights.

Namely the Beast Titan and Haired Giants, and once he returns to the walls the Monarchy itself. He and the others were going to return with a bang, those lying bastards would receive a rude awakening in the form of a direct attack on the place they all seem to think is the safest inside the walls. With or without the scouts knowledge meant little to him regarding it, but he figures he might even get their side if he explained it in a way that would rustle them up enough to accept his plan. After all wasn't he always told how he was such a great leader, even when he never really tries to do so? He's already anticipating the fear in all their faces, seeing the weight of their actions coming to bite them right in the ass-

 _"James...come back...to sleep..."_

Said shifter was brought out of his darkening thoughts when he heard his loves voice chide him sleepily, and felt a smile slowly grow on his face and he galnced back at her. He reached over with his left hand to graze his fingers over a few strands of her hair covering her face from him. He always loved how she looked when she was asleep, how peaceful and relaxed she was during it. It was also one of the few times she ever left her hair down, and he was always telling her how great it looked both ways. Her usual bun made it easier for her to manage in combat and day to day activities, but when it was down like now he realized that it looked just like her Titans. He thought more about it, and really out of all their forms, Annie's and Reiner's were the most "normal" because they resembled their human forms so much.

The rest James knew didn't, Bertoldt's had a smaller top half compared to his lower legs. Ymir's was smaller in the leg area compared to her arms, and her head was oversized but not to a comical point. Pieck didn't look like her Titan at all, at first glance one would actually think the shifter inside was male until they saw her emerge. But outside of it James did admit she was quite pretty in her own mellow sort of way. Porko did resemble his Titan in the fact that they looked grumpy as all hell, but his Titans hair was far better than his own. And least of all James own Titan was the farthest from normal or even looking like himself with it's odd ever moving version of "hair", tough but flexible scaly armor. The long and sharp talons and claws that adorned all his limbs with deadly sturdiness. The elongated arms and legs which were in proportion to his body, and least of all his piercing electric blue eyes and neat cone shaped teeth sitting in his lipless mouth. Compared to any Titan or shifter he's seen so far, James was the epitome of monstrous. It didn't bother him much, after all it was also much more powerful and multipurpose than any of the other warriors he's seen so far. About Annie and Eren were the only ones on par with his with how fit and muscular they were without being slowed down or hindered by that fact. They could perform the same and even more powerful moves as they would in their human bodies, just like they did back in training.

James sighed a bit, looking back on all of it, the jokes played between each other, the blood and sweat they'd all shed as comrades. The team and group efforts which brought them all closer in different ways, the sort of carefree life they once were able to endure simply because they had a common goal in mind to accomplish. Slay and completely eradicate the Titans, join the Military police, or reclaim Wall Maria and discover the origin of their gigantic foes. He bitterly thought of just how naive they all had been back then, though done were more knowledgeable than others. Those people being the shifters who had both attacked and defended the Walls in their own ways. James had joined to try being around people once again, to try and end his loneliness while also looking for the chance to take his vengeance and his home back.

Eren had joined because of the feeling of fear and helplessness he hated that day during the fall, when he'd been unable to save his mother himself. Mikasa had joined simply because of Eren. Armin lost his grandfather and had nowhere else to go, and so joined his friends in trying to make a difference. Jean had gone in to try to have a better life in the interior, and yet joined the opposite regiment after a dose of reality and having his eyes opened. Connie wanted to be an Mp because he wanted to prove he could be a soldier even with his small stature and brains ( and sometimes lack of). Sasha was a little harder to distinguish, because she had her eyes opened by her father after Wall Maria fell and her home was becoming more and more _civilized_. Marco wanted to make a difference serving by the side of the king, oh how James would've laughed in his face had he known the truth back then about the monarchy. The Warriors themselves joined because they were trying to get into the interior in order to capture the coordinate, when ironically it had been training alongside them for three long years.

He shook his head and cleared his thoughts, and quietly but knowingly got out from the bed without waking Annie up. He stepped on to the floor and stretched, his back and arms feeling blood rush through them as he performed his usual morning routine of movements before doing anything else. It was a habit of his, something he didn't aquire when he was with his parents training although he learned the techniques from them. No the habit he did everytime he woke was something he learned himself long after they were gone and he lived by himself in the wild. He rolled his arms and shoulders, twisted his upper body while keeping his lower half in place, cracking and pulling each of his knuckles and fingers. He put an arm over his head and reached between his shoulder blades, holding the pose for a minute before mirroring it with his other arm. After that James stood as high as he could on his tip toes and felt his toes crack as well. He gave a satisfied grunt as he felt his body shiver from the rush he was itching to feel, the rush of combat or new knowledge being presented to himself.

' _So what to do today?'_ James they now as he makes sure Annie is still covered up, before he exits the room. Right now he was in the main room of the home, but to his knowledge he was the only one awake at the hour. After all it was still just before sunrise, his internal clock still making him get up at such a time. In truth there was no reason to be up just yet, and while the offer of going back to bed seems tempting he's already done his stretches to stay up. Now he had no choice, so he might as well find something to do. Maybe some hand to hand on the training posts outside would do the trick, after all Annie was still out meaning he couldn't ask her for it. Plus her father was probably asleep as well, if he was anything like his daughter then James knows waking him up prematurely would be bad.

James headed for the front door and quickly but quietly passed through it, closing it as he went. It really was the early hours of morning, he can just barely see the sun starting to rise behind the mountains he traversed coming here. He breathed in the fresh but crisp air, not too cold which would require him to bundle up, nor too warm to make him sweat more than he already would. James distances himself from the home to a pair of the more outlying popes, which would cause less noise to the home's inhabitants and got into a combat pose in front of the inanimate object. He held the pose for a good 3 seconds to visualize an opponent, before lashing out with his right leg towards where the enemies neck would be. To his relief the wood didn't break, but he did hear it crack a bit from the force and repeated the gesture again. Again the word stayed firm, which means that he can practice without fear of it breaking. After all Annie and her father practiced on these too, so they must've been made out of something that can handle a lot of punishment.

Side kicks, straight punches, hooks, knees and spinning kicks, that's all that was heard and dished out to the training dummy and those who would've been nearby. But in the early hour of the morning, all James could hear was silence broken by his own breathing as he stopped to rest. His breathing evened out to sound like normal, and he goes into a different stance this time, one his mother was iconic to him in. Sideways stances with both hands open, ready to claw or grapple a charging opponent, both legs at the ready to lunge left or right to dodge and maneuver. He knows that even though the pose offers less in Human form since he doesn't posses claws like his Titan, he can still effectively use it when outdoing a reckless opponent like Eren would pose. James stared down the dummy and threw two light jabs with his left hand before driving his right arm into a perfect hook right where the jawbone would be.

In truth the last strike reminds him of how Eren tried hitting him at the battle of Rose, but since Eren didn't possess armored skim James had been able to shrug it off and return a straight haymaker with terrifying force. James wondered about that ever since their little spar in Stohess, Eren possessed the force behind his blows that could force James back without breaking his armor. However the cost of such strikes had left his fists and even his upper arms broken under such force. James thought he'd heard the phrase Glass Cannon, and thought of how fitting it was for someone like Eren. Only when the Rogue shifter had gone berserk did he really stand a solid chance against James and Annie, due to the enhanced regeneration, speed and even some strength. James started to hypothesis whether or not having armored skin like Annie or himself would've made him a deadlier oppon-

"Enjoying the air Draekon?" A voice interrupts James thoughts and he tells see for a second at being snuck up on, searching for the source of the intrusion. James turned and spotted Mr Leonhardt, Torik as he preferred to be called, sitting on a tree stump only a few meters away. In his hand a steaming cup of some drink, most likely that delicious tea he gave to James when he first arrived yesterday morning. James straightened out of his combat pose and began walking over to the older man, answering back with a easy going tone. "I am, not too cool nor too warm. How about yourself?"

He nodded after a moment, slowly sipping from his drink before James stood only a few feet away. The man gestured with the arm holding his mug towards the poles James had just attacked before announcing himself. "Your form is quite something to see, not many use it. Nor the one you used before, something my daughter teach you during your two's time in the military?" Torik asked and was mildly surprised to see James shaking his head ruefully, a small smile on his face. "No, my mother actually. Father as well but she was the better fighter by far. Scary as hell too, she stood 4 meters taller than my Titan at 21 meters in all her terrifying glory."

The man appeared to be impressed and amused at the same time, merely saying "I see then. How tall was your father's?" He asked and seemed satisfied when James replied "20. Pretty much the same as mine looks wise." He told Torik but remembered that the man has never seen his Titan before, and felt like an idiot. But to his surprise the older man didn't seem perturbed nor confused at all, and James could see him chuckle as he set his cup down on the stump. James backed up as Torik approached and rolled up his sleeves, before taking the same signature combat pose that his daughter always held in a fight. James eyes widened for a brief moment before a small smile started to work it's way onto his face, and he took up the pose he did when he first fought Annie back in training all those years ago. "Friendly competition I hope?" He asked and felt a rush of excitement when Torik slowly nodded which keeping his body locked in position.

James held his form much like did in front of Annie during their first spar, and used the silence to observe his opponent. Torik definitely had the height advantage but he was only a few inches taller than Reiner was. James felt some reassurance at that fact, since he's fought both Reiner and Bertoldt in regular hand to hand and won, but then again neither of them were on the same level of fighting skill Annie or James was. And since he was now facing the person who taught _her,_ this might be a tad harder than he realizes. Well either way he can't back out of this, nor would he have if given the chance. It would've made him seem weak in front of her father, and James was already trying to gain his approval of sorts even though the man hasn't shown any dislikes or such to James. Annie hadn't said anything either, and hopefully that was truthful and not her hiding secrets to keep him happy. James would rather face the truth and try to move past it, even if it would prove to be slow work. But so far he doesn't know of anything working against him, so he's just going to go through with this.

The silence dragged on as the two combatants stared at one another, and James sighed a tiny bit, realizing that he would have to strike first. Torik wasn't like his daughter where he would strike if nothing happens, he was perfectly content with waiting to make the second move. And James decides that he would oblige the man as he started forward to break the tension.

He rushed forward and telegraphed a left straight punch while in his mind he was preparing to hook with his right, but he saw that Torik still held his ground up until the fist nearly touched his face before he made _his move._ Torik leaned back far enough from the are where the fist would've landed, however his legs were still in the same spot. As James nearly lost his balance at the unexpected evasive move Torik brought his left leg to strike James in the side and toss him into the dirt. He rolled and got back on his feet as the older man was upon him within 3 seconds, intending to grapple him from behind. James had other plans however, and dove to the side and rolled before standing and making a charge of his own. Torik saw the move and spun with his right leg held as shoulder level, a surprisingly agile move for someone his age and appearance to perform as if it were a mere wave of the hand.

James brought his own forearms to block a blow which he would've been knocked out had he not, and felt a memory flashing through his head. Back to his and Mikasa's last fight in training, the one which earned him top cadet of the 104th.

 _Training camp 850_

 _James staggered back and Mikasa was on her knees, gasping for air. She got back up and ran at him again, and he sent a high kick aimed at her shoulders which would've destroyed her if she hadn't softened the blow with her wrists. She yelled in pain as he grounded himself again and punched her right in the face, earning a bloody lip. He took the chance to rest his nose and prepared to end this..._

 _Flashback end._

James watched as Torik once again sent a high kick towards him, but instead of meeting it with his arms he ducked completely and swept the older man's other leg out with his own. Annie's father fell to the ground, his eyes open in mild surprise at the fast counter attack as he saw James roll back to get his breathe instead of going on for the kill so to speak. A small smile graced the older man's lips as he got back up, taking his time to show he was still fully functional to his younger challenger. ' _He knows how to plan ahead, good. Not hot headed like the Galliard boy.'_ Torik thinks as James gets into a new combat pose, slightly bent with his hands at the ready to grab or slash. For some reason it seems familiar, but he shook his head to clear his thoughts. Of he allowed himself to be sidetracked then he would be open to an attack, and he would rather not lose just yet. Their fight was only just beginning, and they haven't even transformed yet. Torik wonders what the boy might have as his Titans abilities.

James stood watching Torik ponder his thoughts while keeping himself at the ready for any attack James might've decided to try out. Torik slowly started to approach first this time, while James stayed on the defensive, trying to see what the man might've been planning. James narrowed his eyes as he started to side step, working a circle around Torik much like he'd done Reiner at Wall Rose. However James faced a smarter and more skilled opponent this time, and so would have to stay light on his feet to gain the advantage if it ever arose.

Torik was intrigued by the tactic of evasion, and humored the young lad on his wariness by staying his distance while keeping him in his sights. However Torik's eyes scrunched when James started to get lower and lower to the ground before he was on all fours, still keeping his eyes on the older man. ' _What in Ymir is he doing?'_ But Torik realized too late that in his confusion James had taken a low sprinting position and kicked off the ground towards him.

James aimed a fierce and fast straight at Torik's chest but his own eyes widened when the man side stepped and brought his right knee to James , making the Armored shifter grunting pain before he spun and backhanded the man's other arm as it attempted to put him in a chokehold James fell to the ground and rolled again when he saw Torik go to grab at his legs and try for a submission instead, and James decides to reverse the attack and got both his legs around Torik's chest and neck. James got Torik's left arm in a tight spot and was grinning a little but then Torik made the move to get up and slam James on his back. James went to work his legs to wrap around Torik's neck and throw him into the dirt when the old man pulled his upper body back as James wrapped his legs around the air. James eyes widened as he saw the small smirk on Torik's face before he found his arms being held behind his back in opposite directions at painful angles.

James struggled and grit his teeth as he tried to escape the move without drawing blood or causing injury, but realized that unless he chooses to break his arms then he's completely pinned. And even if he did do that it would take time before he could heal them to defend himself. James would only have his legs and two useless arms to evade a fully functional Torik, and he gave a growl of frustration as he realizes he is beaten. Torik seemed to know the dilemna going on in his head and asked from behind James "Do you submit?" James waited a good thirty seconds before he grimaced over his shoulder and nodded once. As if they weren't there Torik freed James arms and the Armored shifter fell to the ground, and he offered the boy an arm back up. James looked to it and took it, rising to his feet and letting go once he had his balance back.

Torik mused to him as he retrieved his mug and sipped once again "You fight well, but I feel like you were holding back. Why?" He asked and James shrugged his shoulders as he stood against a tree near the stump. "Didn't like my chances if I did hurt myself enough to escape. I'd be too open to your attacks, so submitting seemed like the best option at this point." Torik hummed at the thought process and gave his own views on it. "Interesting, you know when your at a disadvantage and yet you were still preparing to fight back. But you still didn't answer my question. You held back, why?"

James stayed silent for a moment before responding with a phrase which may sound boastful, actually wasn't in intent. "I didn't want to hurt you." Torik could tell the difference in demenaor, the seriousness of the statement and tilted his head in thought. He then made a suggestion which would be something the two of them were both curious about beforehand.

"How about we spar in our Titan forms?"

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Annie woke up to the sunlight starting to pour into the room from her window, and she curses that she forgot to close the curtains yesterday. But she had been wanting a breeze during the night, and even if it made her a little cold it still reminded her of living here back in her younger years. Plus it gave her even more reason for her to hold James in her sleep, not that she didn't do so before needing one. She noticed that the house was silent and that James wasn't laying next to her, making her grimace a bit at being alone in bed. She felt her blonde hair fall to her shoulders and around her face, much like her Titans did when she didn't have it pulled up in her usual bun. By about this time her father would've already been up, possibly performing some standard exercises to stay fit. That is, if he'd done them at all since she had departed from her 5 years ago with the other three. But James absence did also make sense, she recalled him waking up early a number of times during their cadet days, they'd even spent time together _before_ the others started to begin their morning routines.

She sighed at the memories, they seemed so long ago and yet she and the rest of the 104th only graduated a few months ago. Annie likes to think of that time like how Reiner and Bertoldt must've tried to, remembering all the good times between herself and everyone else. Back when they truly felt like they were normal, all of them on different pages of the same book in goals for their lives. Annie and the Warriors were a simple but daunting one, save their people with the Coordinate. Well they've managed to complete half of their mission, they've returned with a Coordinate, but they still have yet to fully secure Eldia enough for them to be able to return to the walls for their last objective. But she let that thought leave her mind for now, she just wanted to enjoy a day to herself and her family.

Annie started walking around the house, calling out names when she didn't find anyone. "James? Dad? Where're you guys at?" But received no response, so decided to check outside to see if perhaps the two were outside training. The thought brought a smile to Annie's face as she pictures her father and James going at it, both testing each other out. She's already picturing the surprise on her father's face when he sees how good of a fighter James can be, as well as the awestruck one James might have at facing the man who raised her to be such a deadly fighter. Annie usually wasn't one to brag and nor was James, they just knew what their limits and capabilities were made them known when needed. Annie finally made her way outside and saw her father and James resting against trees, it seemed that the two had just gotten done with a spar of their own. She wishes she could've seen their first clash but oh well, there was always hope to see another.

"Morning." She called out when she was less than 2 meters from the pair, who seemed to be in the middle of some discussion. James smiled at her while her father looked content with himself for some odd reason, the former being the first to talk back. "Morning Ann, sleep well?" She nodded her head as her father's eyebrows raised in mild annoyance? Annie felt a bit sheepish at James question, given how her father had reacted to the pair confessing to him yesterday that they have in fact slept very close to each other. Her father wasn't a fool after all, he could put two and two together very easily.

Annie decided to change the subject and asked her father "So I take it you two have been busy?" The pair in question exchanged a look while Annie crossed her arms, she could already see the two were getting along well enough. It did surprise her though, her father wasn't the most social of people even if he did go into the village and chat now and again with the other inhabitants. James was social enough if he liked the person or had to be near them a lot, but she could tell he wasn't acting like the later. Torik answered his daughter with some human and even excitement in his voice she hasn't heard for a long time, yesterday's return being the exception.

"Actually Annie we were just talking about making a trip today, to the Warriors pit. James and I wanted to try fighting each other in our Titans, I'm sure you'd like to come?" He asked and Annie smiled at the idea, she remembers the last time she visited the warrior pit was almost a year before she even left the village for her mission.

The "Warriors pit" was a desert like section of the valley devoid of the lush Bush and trees, a sunken in section of rock and sand wide enough for Bertoldt's Titan to sit cross legged inside of. It was only about half the height of the three walls in depth, so roughly 27 to 30 meters at it's deepest point, though the entire place was like a bowl without smooth edges and more oval than circular. The area was a natural spot most people who trained in both the warrior program or on their own flocked to, the area was prime for a natural arena instead of having to construct one with precious materials and such. It also helped to train this on the village's warrior program to the natural climates and such they'd experience while performing scouting missions around the village borders, any recon missions exploring the ruins of other villages which have already fallen to the haired giants, and any new ones that might've been being built from survivors of previously destroyed settlements.

Annie expressed her joy at the idea to the pair "Sure, I'd definitely like to visit the place again, it's been over 6 years after all. Do you think James and I could invite some of our friends?" She asked and her father smiled smiled at her before asking "Who'd you have in mind? Reiner and Bertoldt I take it are already in your thoughts?" James chuckled and gave his own input. "I want to see them again, plus see just how dear Bert and Ymir are." Torik scrunched his brow, not understanding the reference to the village's goddess or what it had to do with the Hoover's boy. Annie went to explain to her father what James meant.

"When we were in the walls I wasn't the only one who found themselves fond of someone. Reiner couldn't bring the one he wanted back even if she was willing, but Bertoldt brought back a girl. Her name is Ymir, like the goddess. She was actually named after them by a religious group inside the walls which took her in before they were sentenced to being mindless Titans for over 60 years. She...was the mindless Titan who ate Marcel. She wasn't in control of herself but...I understand."

Her father looked a bit disheartened at hearing Marcel's death, he remembers the young boys initiative and care for his friends. He then grimaced at knowing the other galliard twin Porko was going to be in an even more sour mood than usual. He knew the Braun boy looked up to the now deceased Galliard twin, but his thoughts also went to the Hoover boy. Unlike his massive and outgoing sister Freya, Bertoldt wasn't the sociable type because of his apparent shyness. Still he had managed to bring home a woman? Even if she were the mindless Titan who ate a friend of his? Torik couldn't help but be slightly impressed with the boy's will power and choice to still stay with the girl or woman? Which should he refer this Ymir as?

Torik shook his head and responded to the knowledge "I see then. Well I'm glad that the boy's could make it back, and I am curious about meeting this other newcomer. But.." he trailed off and the pair asked in unison "What?" Torik looked them both with some blankness in his face, however they would've never guessed his next words."

"I didn't take Bertoldt to like older women."

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After an hours worth of walk around the village with the occasional stop and greet as the trio searched around for Reiner, Bertoldt and Ymir, and finally Pieck. Along the way they ran into Freya who asked if she could tag along to see the fight from the sidelines, even if there was no such barring or privacy from heading to the place. However her louder mouth seemed to get a few of the other villager's attention when they heard that Torik, one of the village's most renowned fighters and warriors was going to face the newcomer who claimed to be a warrior from inside the walls. Now the news had spread pretty much everywhere and to everyone nearby, becoming quite the sensation. Torik didn't seem to like all the attention although he tried to pay it no mind as he walked with the group of the next generation including his challenger and his daughter towards the part leading to the Warriors pit.

The pit itself sat almost 7 miles from the village itself, on the southern side of the valley before the area returned to growing bushes and trees of all sorts. Normally some would have transformed and used their Titans to run the distance and fight once they arrived, no need to rest because the Titan forms do not tire easily. But with the small gathering following the returned warriors and Torik wouldn't allow such easy means of transportation, no they decided to stick it through and just endure the walk. Along the way James struck up a good conversation with Pieck, asking questions about the area and such that they would be fighting in, trying to gain a mental picture and possibly a stradegy before they reach there.

"It's quite straightforward as it sounds, a pit filled with sand and walls pitted here and there for both footholds and some small caves that go under the earth. Most don't have anything except bats in them." Pieck continues on while James cocked his head, the two just now starting to see the grassland area receding and becoming more dry and gritty. "Bats? What are those?" Pieck raised an eyebrow before she remembers he's not from around here, he's lived behind walls all his life.

"Small flying creatures, mostly harmless. They eat bugs, fruits, some drink blood from livestock. No bigger than birds." She explains and James found himself interested by the new creature, and wonders what other new species he'll meet here. Pieck mentioned livestock but surely a village the size of Eldia's would require a lot of livestock just for each month. So that must mean they did some forms of hunting, either fowl or other larger grazing animals he may have never even dreamed of. Either way he hopes to find out in the future and maybe even participate in such events. His time in Dauper also showed that he was not only a Warrior but hunter as well, just to a higher degree. Sure he's always had to hunt for food when he was alone during his training, but when it wasn't absolute do or die James still finds the experience to be pretty fun.

"Well from the size of the village I take it you guys do some sort of hunting, what sorts of animals are around here?" James asked and Pieck replied "All sorts, though most are harmless herbivores we do have a few carnivorous ones as well. Large cats, snakes, wolves and even the occasional bear. But they all tend to stick away because they know we can transform. Only if they have absolutely nothing to hunt will they even approach the outer edges of Eldia, but Porko and I along with the newbies we're training usually keep them out." James listened to the girl in silence, so far he's known about all of those except for the large cats, just how big did they get out here? Wolves he can deal with, bears he definitely needs his Titan form for if he's unarmed, snakes wouldn't be much of a problem. The girl probably only meant poisonous ones, which because of the advantage of regeneration shifters have meant it wasn't as bad had he been human.

"So your a teacher huh? Well I hope to see your students in action one day, might even join in as an observer." James said and Pieck gave a small chuckle before saying "Your welcome to join at any point, just be mindful of Porko. He's likes being a scout cause it's his alone time." James hummed at that and simply said "No problem. I know the feeling. Glad to hear."

James and Pieck started to see the ground receding and getting lower, and James glanced back over his shoulder to see Annie talking with Reiner and Bertoldt, both of whom seemed to be in good spirits since they've been back. He glanced over and saw Ymir walking a little uncontrollably alongside Freya, but nothing seemed to be talking between each other well enough. James guesses that Ymir was only nervous because of Freya's height, though in all honesty James was still wary of the Titanic girl. Sure she'd been polite and fun to talk to, but that one moment where she basically summed him up in a romantic viewpoint without any shame whatsoever. At least Ymir had some tact beneath her sarcastic nature and sometimes outright bitchness. But James didn't hate her for it, nor does he hate Freya for putting him on the spot like that. He just hopes that the later heeds Annie's warning as well as James own about being with the blonde.

Cause if there's one thing James doesn't like to see or experience, it was an angry Annie.

Jealous Annie would be ten times worse.

He shook his head at the thought, and continued to walk with Pieck about a meter or two ahead of the Warrior trip, and began to see this great pit that he'd been told of. He raised his eyebrows in mild awe and his jaw was open at the sheer size of it, granted he's stood atop The walls looking down plenty of times, but those were _made structures. This was naturally occurring,_ the damn thing looked like Bertoldt's Titan had sat down in a hold and made it bigger by spinning around. James noted that Pieck was exactly right with her description of the place, seeing the sand just about everywhere and the rough rock walls all around the diameter of the circle. There were a few steep paths that would lead down, but the sand looked thick enough that if one were to accidentally fall that they wouldn't immediatley die from impact, plus with regeneration abilities the person would be fine.

Still it was a long fall, so James decided to follow Annie Reiner and Bertoldt as Torik headed down one of the paths. Lower and lower they went, past cracks and crevices of all sorts, even a cave mouth or two that only stood a few feet taller than Bertoldt. James notices that most of the villagers who came to watch stayed up along the edge of the pit, and even sees some arguing over spots to sit and watch from. As they neared the bottom Pieck, Reiner Bertoldt and finally Annie all split off and walked towards a part of the pit which created a sort of den area, very wide and spacious. Torik kept going lower and James following him waved to Annie as she sat down. She gave an encouraging smile and waved back Reiner actually gave a shout since they were starting to be quite far from each other.

"Give it all ya got James! You got what it takes!"

James smiled at his blonde friend and shook his head while giving a thumbs up, classic Reiner. Always playing the big brother role to them all, and in truth James appreciated the support. He was more than ready to face Torik in his Titan form where he would have his natural weaponry, but he doesn't know what secrets or traits that Torik's might possess. Annie had a fierce hardening ability, and on her at it's strongest it could pierce through his and Reiner's armor. Her father surely must have it and possibly even something else to his arsenal, so James was going to have to stay light on his feet and quick with his thinking.

As Torik met the bottom level James stayed where he was an watched the older man walk about 20 meters away before he turned. He called out to James first "The rules are simple, non lethal combat. No harm to the shifter or nape, anything else is allowed. Fight ends only when one submits or is no longer able to operate their Titan. Let us begin." Torik gestured for James to go first and the boy took a deep breath and cleared his head, keeping his goal clear like he's been doing since he was 5 years old.

' _Well times here. Let's do this.'_ James thought as he brought his right hand to his mouth and bit deep into his wrist, drawing blood.

A explosion of light appeared while lightning struck the spot where James previously stood, and all those around and in the pit, especially the other contestant watched with anticipation as a 17 meter body began to rapidly form wand complete within 5 seconds of the bite. Red fleshy muscle began to twist and wrap around bones that seemed to be appearing out of thin air, and after the sinew and tendons all attached skin formed on top of it. Dark tough scaly skin strong enough to withstand any form of attack to those inside the walls and the mindless Titans that roamed outside of them. James stood to his full height, his claws clenching and unclenching as he got ready for combat, one of his favorite pastimes and pretty much his biggest reason for living aside from seeking Family.

Torik watched the transformation with impressed eyes, noting the tall form was agile but muscular. The claws on all four limbs perfectly proportioned to be useful in many situations, the nearly lipless maw with cone shaped teeth in an interlocking fashion rather than a messy jagged maw like some animals he's seen over his lifetime. What stood out most to the man was the bright blue eyes which shone light lights to him, as well as the mass of twisting "hair" that sat atop the fearsome Titans head. Torik felt a sense of familiarity looking upon the boy's form, but shook his head before rubbing the ring on his left hand, the wedding band he kept as a token of his wife. He flicked his hand, and much like the ring he'd given to his daughter as a reminder of her mother, there was now a small exposed blade. More like a thorn, but it was still sharp enough to pierce the skin on his index finger, triggering his own transformation.

Back in his Titan form James watched with careful but observant eyes as Torik's own Titan began to appear from the flash of lightning. The skeleton first naturally stood at least at tall as his own before the flesh began to form around it, giving it more height than he thought. A fit muscular form of a man without skin stood where Torik Leonhardt once waited, though there were patches of skin formed on the upper chest to face, along the upper parts of his forearms to the elbow, and finally on the upper thighs of his strong looking legs. James found himself facing an opponent taller than he was by a full 3 meters, just one taller than his fathers form and shorter than his mother's. Like his daughter there was also a small patch of blonde hair on his near skinless head, but it was more akin to a shorter style like Reiners. He also had the icy blue eyes as well, though these seemed less friendly than Annie's were, James knew he has his work cut out for him, and finds himself excited for this moment. A real fight.

James gave an impressed growl at his girlfriend's father, and took his signature combat pose, his body slightly hunched with his hands at the ready to punch, stab and tear flesh. He watches as Torik took his own one much like this morning, and once again waited for James to make the first move. James gave a challenging roars to Torik, and Torik simply ignored it although his eyes did narrow, both only paying attention on each other, the calm before the storm.

' _Any moment now would be nice.'_ He thought in annoyance as Torik just stared right at him, unmoving but keenly aware of everything.

.

.

.

Higher up Freya was sitting next to Ymir and Pieck as they watched the combatants stared at one another with narrowed eyes, the tension and silence dragging on as the crowd above seemed to be holding their breath. Ymir finally broke it when she asked to the two villagers next to her "I know I'm kinda new to this whole one on one arena fighting, but shouldn't _one_ of them at least have made a move by now?"

Freya spoke up at that "Depends on the fighters. I've seen Torik fight since I was a little girl, and he's always waited for his opponent to make the first move. Even though he's an expert in hand to hand, he's always acted as more of a defensive fighter rather than offensive. I haven't seen your boy James fight, but with all those built in weapons he's got he seems like the aggressive type in a fight. Sound about right?" She turned and asked, seeing Ymir nod with a small smirk on her face.

"Yup, Draekon is the one to strike first, fast and hard and deep on going. I've seen him toss your brother and Reiner around in training, he's a natural born fighter. I've only seen Annie hold her ground and match him, but even then their fights would go either way depending on their mood. They think alike." Ymir said when Pieck asked "Mood? Were they together before they first fought each other?"

Ymir snickered and told the waiting girls "Nope, they talked day one of boot camp but nothing more than just friendly stuff. When hand to hand day came however, you couldn't see a more excited pair. They started going at it pretty normal at first, then they started to fight a little more vicious every minute they were at a standstill. Everyone around started to just watch them, even our instructors were in some shock at just how hard they were trying to overpower one another."

Freya asks "How'd it end? Who won?" Ymir merely said "A draw. They both got each other in leglocks around each other's heads. After that they both called it quits for then." It was Pieck's turn to chuckle then, which caused Ymir to raise an eyebrow. "It's soooo like Annie, find the one guy who can fight just as good as she does and fall for him. Poor girls life has always been about combat."

Freya however had a different view on that statement. "She seems happy enough, don't forget Pieck she chose to be a fighter for the village. She found something she enjoys and stays with it. Draekon seems to be the same, but I don't know anything about him. Mind informing us little goddess?" She nudged Ymir on the shoulder with her elbow and Ymir grimaced at the nickname. "Don't call me that. I've had enough shit happen to me because of that word."

Freya raised a brow and shrugged the girls tone off "Whatever, just wanted some info. You gonna tell or not?" Ymir didn't look at Bert's older sister and said "Nope. I know very little of it to begin with, I actually wasn't awake when he spilled everything to our friends. You want to know? Ask him. But a word of caution, he isn't one to talk freely about it-"

" _ROAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRR!"_

Ymir was cut off and they along with most of the others in the audience jumped when they heard the high pitched and angered sound, and the trio of girls refocused their attention on the stalemate of a fight. It seemed that things had finally come to a boil, and they and everyone else watched as the Mauler Titan charged Torik Leonhardt with his fists at the ready.

.

" _RRROOOOOOOAAAAAARRRR!"_

James had had enough by that point, he'd walked all the way here and would be forced into a stalemate because Torik preferred to be a defensive fighter? Then James would just have to take the offense, what he was best at. So he made the first move.

James began to run at Torik's still composed form with his hands in fists, but not tight ones for an actual jab or even a hook. No the purpose of that misconception was diversion, and as he neared Torik's massive form he made a wide sideways swing which to the audience might've seemed bold but brash, but when it failed as planned, James enacted the second part of his fist assualt. As Torik leaned his body back to easily dodge the foolish move, James continued to spin and brought his elbow to swing and hit the 20 meter's upper chest while pushing it in with his right hand holding his left fist.

As Torik grunted and stumbled back from the unexpected move, James went in for a few slashing and stabbing attacks aimed towards the lower half of his opponent's body, to the waist and thigh area. His right hand made contact and severed many layers of flesh along the upper right half of the leg, but when he went to immediately follow it up with mirroring it on the left leg, he found his claws coming into contact with a strong icy crystalized section of skin. James growled in annoyance as he had considered the possiblity of Torik having such an ability before, but his eyes widened when he saw Torik harden his knee and slam it into James chest, sending him back to the sand. James rolled back into the force and found himself on all fours but in a crouch, and gave a growl of pleasure when he saw Torik kneeling as well, the damaged right leg steaming as the more experienced shifter tried to rapidly heal.

James knew he couldn't allow that to happen because Torik wouldn't fall for the same tactic twice, and rapidly want to attack again, but this time actually using his fists. James threw jab after jab, but Torik managed to actually evade even with his damaged leg which stopped steaming for some odd reason, after all it had only been 10 seconds. There was _No_ way it was fully healed in that tiny amount for time, not with the damages James had done to it. James saw Torik go for a left legged sweep, and his slit eyes widened as he saw the rapidly forming crystal along the leg from the knee all the way to the top of the foot. He almost yelped in surprise and had to leap back in order to evade it, and rolled back with the force of his retreat move. He came to a stop in a kneeling position with all his limbs on the grounds, like a dog on his haunches. He saw that Torik was also in a kneeling position, but he still held on hand up near his face while the other was on the ground for support. James found himself growling as he tried to reassess his foe.

How the hell was he able to move about and fight again so quickly if he were still healing?

James stared and saw Torik's right leg still wasn't healed, _but it was covered in crystalized skin like a leg cast. 'Smart, he's got some tricks of his own. I've never even seen Annie's Titan do that before. Fingers, fists and shins are one thing when their fully intact, but to form it like a cast? That's skill.'_ He thought and decided to attack again anyways, this time aiming for the areas just above and just below the crystal cast. If he could sever them before the leg could truly heal, then he would be down a limb and easier to handle. After all on all fours, James was the king of close combat, then again he hasn't fought Ymir, Porko or even Pieck. He should at least see how they would do against him before self declaring himself as king He Who Walks on All Fours.

But he has a feeling that even if they were all to take him on at the same time that it would still be easier than taking on Torik solo, especially when the later was back on his feet again, the steam gone and the same went for the cast as it disintegrated back into the red fleshy skin that was Torik's Titan form. Torik stood at his full height of 20 meters and growled with a smirk visible on his Titans face, a teasing sort of one.

' _Ahhh shit. This is gonna get ugly.'_ James thought as Torik now came at _him_ , his hands not in fists but definitely looking ready to grab something. James has a pretty good idea what that something is.

James went forward to match the force of arrival instead of moving backwards and possibly trapping himself against a stone wall, and he grabbed Torik's hands in his own. The two struggled to overpower and throw the other, neither giving any leeway of any kind as their grunts and growls and even snarls from James echoed to the cheering crowd watching above. James used his long fingers and talons to dig into the back of Torik's hands, earning a grunt of pain before Torik did the same, sharpening and hardening his finger tips to stab into James hands and get a deep grip in them. James winced and growled, before he made his arms wide to try and snap his teeth at Torik's shoulder or face, anywhere that could inflict a serious injury to escape the hold.

But try as he might and almost succeed, Torik let himself fall back and pulled James to the sandy rock and slammed his foot into James stomach, trying to pull off his arms. James shrieked defiance and tilted his body enough to make Torik nearly topple over to the ground himself, only being spared because he put his arms out into a crude push up position. James brought his right knee to slam into Torik's midsection, rolling him off of James and away enough for the later to get back on his feet. James growled, again having to rethink his stradegy as he was back on the defensive.

.

.

Farther back and higher up Reiner Bertoldt and Annie were one of the many people cheering on the battle below, oohing and awing at the right time. So far the fight while it may have started off stale had blossomed into quite the fierce conflict with Torik and James going at it without a moment's rest. Reiner seemed to have full confidence in James because of having fought him twice in Titan form and plenty in human, while Bertoldt seemed to be on toriks side because he too had grown up seeing the man fight and win time and time again. Annie wasn't sure where she stood. One on hand she knows her father was the best fighter she even knew as a girl, training her when she was young and being the reason she was the fighter she is today. On the other she knows James started fighting even younger than she had, and with harsher treatment to go with it. He learned to fight wild animals to survive his everyday life, remembering the near abusive stories he'd told to her and everyone else wall rose that morning a week ago. ShesSfaced him plenty of times I hand to hand combat, but never when they were in Titan form.

She knows he's fast, strong and overall a good strategist, but when he's also I'm his Titan he has enhanced senses body armor and even his weaponry of teeth and claws in addition to his arms and legs. So she was going to stay neutral in this fight, no matter who won Annie would still praise the victor and the defeated equally.

Still it would be nice if James won, because it could leave an impression on her father as well if the man she came back with is the first person to beat him since his wife almost 20 years ago. Either way she would just have to continue watching to see which would happen.

.

.

James ducked under yet another hook sent his way with near blinding speed and threw a pair of jabs towards Toriks chest, both blows connecting and sending his opponent a few meters back, but still standing nonetheless. The pair were now starting to glare at one another, this fight had gone nowhere for nearly 3 minutes now. Always a standstill or a draw, never a prime opportunity to go for the kill so to speak, no chance to force a submission. In truth the pair were both getting frustrated, even Torik who is surprised that he was getting more rustled. He was going to change that starting now.

James watched with narrow eyes as Torik started to charge him with gaining speed, and went to meet his charge with one of his own, right shoulder ready to ram into the upper chest area of his Titan. Just a few meters before they would've collided, Torik went into a slide tackle while hardening his legs and face for protection. James was tripped up by the daring tactic, and found himself getting angry when he slammed face first into the sand and rock. He spun around giving a bloodthirsty roar as he sent his right hand towards toriks face with terrifying swiftness, the claws pointing directly for the eyes and jawline, not noticing Torik was completely still.

.

.

Torik had been getting up to send a right fist to James left shoulder facing him when he saw the boy turn around and roar fearsomely while sending his own clawed hand towards his face. As Torik saw the bright blue slit eyes and meter long claws sailing towards him, he froze without meaning to do so. He was no longer in the warriors pit, now he was at the outmost border of Eldia, facing the three great walls. In Draekon's place he saw a woman shifter before him in the exact same position. Her bright blue eyes glaring at him with a hatred in them to win, her talons coming from behind the very long mane of hair that went from her head all the way down to her lower back, her taller form intimidating him in shock of such ferocity in the act. Talons aimed at his head as she gave a bloodcurling high pitched shriek of anger.

' _Selene...John...is this your son?!'_ Torik thought as he watched the deadly Spears come into contact with his eyes a few moments before he even thought to harden them.

.

James sent the claws directly into Toriks eyes and upper mouth and tore to the side, completely ripping away the flesh and most of the skull itself. As the body tried to heal and get over the shock of the savage attack James sent a full force haymaker to Toriks stomach, actually punching through the body itself. His jaws opened and clamped down hard on the right shoulder joint like a bear trap, sheering away muscle and tissue like it was soft butter while ripping the right arm off completely during the animalistic act. He didn't let up with the attacks and destroyed every limb he could before Torik could harden to protect himself under the assualt, try as he might. As Torik fell James get smashing and raining down blow after blow all around the body except the nape, not wishing to harm the older man.

Soon enough James saw that Torik wouldn't be able to heal or fight back, and backed off from the headless and limbless _pulpy_ husk of his Titan's handiwork. Steam began to rise from the exposed nape area, and James saw the man pulling himself from the evaporating flesh, and James was grateful that he didn't seem to be injured. He hadn't gone too far, he just did what he had to in order to finally win. He gave a victorious screech to the sky above as the crowd roared itself hoarse with energy.

Many of those watching above were in stunned silence but there were many that were talking among themselves at such a sight, some were outright yelling in shock.

"Holy shit!"

"Did you see how he just-"

"I can't believe Torik just let it happen-"

"Why'd he freeze up?"

"The newcomer won!"

"Torik lost! For the first time in decades he's been beaten!"

"New champion in the pit!"

Below the crowd the Warrior trio was walking down the pathways fast to reach the bottom, seeing James kneeling and emerging from his own form and sliding down it's disintegrating arm. He seemed to be making his way over to Torik, who upon leaving his Titan had stayed silently in place, deep in thought, but upon hearing his name called he met with Annie, Reiner and Bertoldt. A few minutes later he spotted Pieck, Ymir, Freya and Porko? When did he show?

"Goddamn, that was awesome James! You actually won against Annie's dad! I've never seen him go down since I've been born!"

James held a semi proud smile when Reiner clapped him on the shoulder and Bertoldt said "I still can't believe it, you actually beat Torik Leonhardt in hand to hand." Knowing the boy was just as surprised as he was along with everyone above, James decided to tease the lanky shifter "Aw c'mon, no faith in me? I'm hurt Bert, do I gotta show you I know how to fight?" Bertoldt gave a nervous laugh at that when his sister finally appears with the other three. She ruffled his hair good naturedly and raised an eyebrow at James, Freya was just as shocked to see Torik go down in such a way. "Now now little Drake, I'm sure my brother had some sort of encouragement, right Bertie?" She asked and the boy didn't say anything else after Pieck spoke then.

"Very impressive James, I've never seen such quick thinking nor rapid planning when anyone previously fought Mr Leonhardt. You've shown your a proficient fighter and quite a powerful one at that. You have my congratulations." She smiled and nodded, before she elbowed Porko in the gut for staying silent. He grumbled but eventually spoke louder enough to hear. "You fight good outsider, fast and harsh." She seemed satisfied at that and Ymir spoke to James "Bout time you won, you both just stood there long enough I thought you were posing for a sculpture. But good job Draekon." He rolled his eyes at the first part of her mild compliment but knew it was just how she was. That was as good of one he was going to get out of her without having to save her ass.

James turned and Annie gave him a tight hug which he returns with a laugh, and saw her beautiful face all lit up because of that rare smile only he usually got to see. She spoke just to him when the others were standing a bit back, smirks and teasing looks on their faces, even Porko's. "You were amazing James, it feels so unreal. I've never seen my father lose a fight, I've never even injured him that bad in combat. I'm sure he's just as stunned as we all are."

"That I am Annie, that I am." Torik's voice made them all turn to see him standing a ways behind the group, his arms crossed but not in an unfriendly manner. His eyes seemed to be more focused on James, who gave a sheepish smile before he walked over and held out his hand to shake it, but Torik didn't take it immediatley. He looked at James for a moment with seriousness in his face before he took the gesture and pulled James close to him. He spoke low for only the boy to hear

"When we get back home, we need to talk. Son of _Selene and John."_ He said before letting go and nodding his head to the watching others, making his way to the footpaths and starting his climb up. James stood in the same spot with a frown on his face, a felt a sense of unease. Though the words were not spoken with hostility nor urgency, he still felt as if something was wrong with what was just said by Annie's father.

After all, he never told the man his parents names.


	104. Eldia-Old Light Still Shines

**_ALLLRIGHT EVERYBODY!_** **I am Finally back once again with a new chapter!** **Happy** **to see how you guys and gals are thinking of the last chapter, so here's another good one which will also be an _important_** **one detail wise regarding the story and the future in it as a whole. Also drops hints to future events, questions that will be asked and answered, and about just who our hairy enemy is and why he's doing the things he does. Well I think I've rambled on enough, let us begin. Don't forget to review!**

 **Okay that was premature, this is what 2 nearly 3 months since the last chapter? Guess I should explain some things here. I'm really sorry about the major delay for this chapter, I've recently put some work into my other stories which any who are interested can see them on my profile. Shout out to Maegor the Instinct for the shifter prayer as well as continued support for this story off the website as a fellow co author. Also a shout-out to** **zayan ghani as well, I'm currently helping him with co writing his own story which I'm following. If your an EreAnnie fan, I suggest checking it out. Hopefully now** **that this is up the story will began to move forward in both plot and in updates as well. Next chapter will be mellow too, but I do promise the one after it will be VERY exciting!**

 **Also, if you guys wanna discuss the manga as well as ins and outs of this story, feel free to ask in a review or PM me, I'll always answer. Also there's a note at the bottom of the page. It contains a little bit of an explanation as for my absence as well as thoughts on the latest chapters of the manga which has been exciting, sobering and even quite tragic in some parts. So be warned if your not a manga reader, though I insist for you to try it! There'll be a separation between the explanation and the manga thoughts so read through carefully anz at your own risk.**

 _Eldia-An Old Line Shines Still._

 _"Son of John and Selene."_

Those simple words have been bothering James ever since he won his fight against Annie's father. How did he know their names? How and why did he come to the conclusion that he was their son as if he knew it to be irrefutable fact? He sat in silence as he looked out over the landscape all around him from where he was. It wasn't quite night time yet, no it was just a few hours before dusk, the sun setting in the distance but still plenty of light for him to see and go by. Compared to the heat and noise of a amped up crowd from a few hours ago, it was actually very peaceful at the moment.

Right now he was just sitting by himself on a hilltop a mile or so from the pit itself, the audience as well as his friends having already returned back to the village to resume their business and daily lives. James told them earlier, Annie included, that he just needed to be alone and have some time to think by himself. Even though she looked unhappy at this decision, she still respected it enough and walked back with everyone else until he was the last one in the pit.

As much as be disliked having to isolate himself from her, he didn't want to worry over him if she had decided to stay. He might've had an outburst or such and made her worry even more than she probably was right now. After that he ascended and began to walk about with no real destination in mind other than to be away from, everything and everyone in order to just _think._

He sighed quietly, partially out of frustration but also out of confusion. Just as he was startig to get settled in to the place he was faced with yet more questions he didn't have the answers to, something he's slways hated. Not knowing.

Back in his younger years he learned how to read pretty quickly, and found himself enjoying the otherwise mundane act just as much as he now did fighting in hand to hand. His parents had a good selection of books for him to read, some with limited information about the world he lived in for such a time, and others were stories with heroic people defeating monstrous creatures. Before he understood the world more for what it was, and he would use that awakening to keep himself alive all the way to this point.

But now he isn't as aware of things, after all how would Torik know _both_ of his parents names if James had never told them? He never even told Annie what his parents names were, partially because she never talked about her own aside from her saying that her father taught her to fight and James telling her the same regarding his parents. Names never exchanged, and the same went for the finer, more grim or uncomfortable details they didn't feel like bringing up. In truth Annie had heard the most about his childhood atop of Wall Rose with everyone else.

So how would her father know their names if James had never even told her?

And since he couldn't come up with a conclusion to that disturbing thought, it just meant that once again he was in the dark. That he didn't understand something like he always strived to, not wanting to be caught unprepared should the situation arise. He sighed again and continued looking out over the land he could see from sitting atop his small hill, taking in it's beauty and mysteries he has yet to explore. Maybe in a day or so he'd ask Pieck about that tour.

The sun was still out even if it was much lower than it has been when he set out with the others to the Warriors pit. The temperature was nice still, wind blowing mildly all around him and the long grass below him. He took a moment to look at his right hand absentmindedly, staying silent even if his mind was far from it. _'What does this mean? How does he know them? Why would he know I'm their son? What did he see that made him realize that?'_ Over and over James thought as he now starts to recall how Torik had paused in their fight towards the end, right when James gained the advantage which granted him his victory over the older man. He tries retracing his exact actions step by step.

Torik had slide tackled him while covering his body parts in crystalized skin, and the move sent James face first into the ground. James had then turned, roared and sent his right hand claws open towards the larger shifters face in his anger. Was that what had triggered it? Because now that he thought on it more, Torik didn't seem to have been looking at _him_ when he stabbed his eyes out, he was seeing something or s _omeone_ else entirely.

Perhaps his parents? Had they ever fought?

From the way Torik spoke their names they were clearly known by him on a first name basis, so they had to have talked quite alot, perhaps even fighting in the very pit he just fought in himself. After all it was his mother who was the more vicious of his teachers when they fought, she was the main inspiration for his fighting style. She used everything on her to keep going and brawling, tooth, claw and foot it didn't matter.

Even if she lost limbs she would just act even more feral in a sense and attack faster than she had seconds before. But she would also sometimes use the very same fighting styles she had taught him when he was training. It was only when he saw his mother and father fight and spar that he would see the feral style completely in control. Against him she held it back, and in a way he was grateful that he never had to face her in such a state. He saw how Annie was scared at him for chasing her, him being a child and seeing his mother acting as if she were crazy? Oh, and she was larger than he was and _stronger than even his father?_ He would've died from fright, not even his first encounter with a mindless Titan would compare to that.

His father's style was different from hers. Yes he would act very brutal and fast with his fighting, but his seemed to be always coordinated, a style hidden to everyone but himself that wouldn't appear unless one watched long enough. He'd send out a certain number of timed attacks before trying something random in between them in order to mix it up and not be read, thereby keeping his opponent at a disadvantage with no way of knowing what he would do next, even though it was all planned. His body was made more for direct combat and taking blows with it's armored hide which he inherited, and he would always make sure James learned the technique to hide his personal style no matter what. All it came down to really was deception and constantly moving, something he was great at.

Sure James knew how to ambush a target in a fight, after all that's how he got food most of his life, but like the battle with Torik proved he was the one to take the offensive first most of the time. The only times he wouldn't were if he was severely outnumbered or outclassed, the later of which rarely happened but still, surprises appeared all the time. James shook his head at his train of thought, he shouldn't be dwelling on the past, he should be thinking about how things were going to play out in his Immediate future. Torik had mentioned a talk before he departed for home, and James was more than anxious to hear just what Annie's father would talk about with him. He didn't seem angry, but he had made it clear that the two of them needed to speak on the revelation of his parentage.

He stood up and did a light stretching of his legs on the hill, looking to the setting sun before turning and walking down from the raised piece of land. His thoughts grew more focused as he decided to walk the rest of the way back to ease his mind. _'I guess it was nice while it lasted, but I need answers. And Torik knows them.'_

 _._

 _._

 _._

Nearly 2 hours worth of walking and James was now starting to see the village once more ahead of him, and before he knew it he was already walking past the buildings once more. It was much darker out now as torches lit up the village in safe distances from the buildings themselves, even if they looked the least flammable to other structures from the walls. All around him people were talking, walking and even still conducting business with one another. Children laughed and ran around, younger and even older couples held hands and such in private.

Men moved about and went their merry ways, some of them still talking about the fight that James has taken part in earlier that same day. Women gossiping and chiding children that came too close and acted rowdier than allowed. All in all James felt peaceful walking through the place, though so far he hasn't seen any of his friends nor their families. He felt a little isolated because of that fact, despite actually being around people on all sides of his body. He was still the newcomer after all, the stranger among strangers.

"Sir! Hey sir!"

A boy's voice called out and came close from behind him, though James didn't turn. He wasn't expecting himself to be the one being called, so he kept walking until he felt a tug on the back of his shirt. His first natural reaction was to grab the hand and turn around while keeping a firm grip, although James had to stop himself because he didn't wish to make some sort of incident over a simple misunderstanding and overreaction on his part. Instead he simply stopped and turned his head to look over his shoulder down at the boy, probably no older than 12 or 13.

No older than when he lost his family and saved Eren's. He replied with his tone being friendly but inquisitive. "Yes?" The boy releases his shirt from his hand and looked a little sheepish before asking "Your the one who beat Mr Leonhardt today right? I saw you walking alone afterwards." For some reason James thought he saw concern in the boy's eyes and decided to humor him.

"That's right. I...just needed to be alone for a little while, clear my head. That kind of thing. But I'm fine kid." James told him and the way he said the last word made it known that he was curious about his questioner's name. The boy took the hint easily enough and introduced himself to James.

"I-I'm Falco. Falco Grice. I'm training in the Warriors program for the village's defense." James cocked his head at the boy, a bit interested that he would announce that later part. Perhaps the boy had sought him out to ask how he was such a good fighter? Tips on how he might get better with performing duties or keeping comrades safe? He decided to talk with the kid a bit more before he heads to his temporary home.

"Is that so? Well I wish the best of luck to you, but I'm not quite sure I help you out if that's what this is about." James said to make that a known part of this talk, he'd rather not waste his or the boys time. But to his surprise the boy shook his head before stating "That's not really why I wanted to speak with you, it's just well, your the first outsider I've ever seen. Someone whose not from any of the older villages. I...wanted to know where you're from." He finally explained.

At this revelation James found himself being a little uncomfortable, not entirely because of the boy being curious about his origins but because he's been wondering the same thing regarding his parents.

Never once had James ever asked about where his parents were from, and having been born in shinganshina he just assumed they came from the place as well. He never met any grandparents or any other family members other than the ones he lived with, so he thought that perhaps they were all dead or he didn't have many to try and know. His parents never mentioned their own mother's and father's, and so James never asked.

And now that they were gone, he had no way of really knowing if perhaps he'd once had some, or what they were like. A small feeling of regret and an even larger feeling of bitterness began to grow inside the Armored shifter's mind and heart, just why the hell hadn't they told him anything?

Why didn't he ask more questions?

Why was he always feeling like he's been lied to by everyone at some point?

Why couldn't he have the answers he wanted?!

James took a deep breath to calm down and not snap in front of the boy, for some reason he thinks the kid has some potential, despite having just met him. He'd addressed him with respect in his tone and way of speaking, as well as surprising the older shifter by asking if he was alright. And from what he told James earlier he was in the village's Warriors program, much like Annie, Bertoldt and Reiner were. Well, still were since they'd only returned about 2 days ago after 5 years of silence and anxious waiting. They still might have duties to carry out for the village itself much like the one he was going to have to perform before he would return with them to the walls.

Bringing himself back to reality James decided to give the boy the chance for a proper talk in the future, when things would be a little more settled with himself and whatever he was about to find out. "I'll tell you what Falco, right now I'm heading back for a talk of my own that is kind of important to me, but I'll certainly have a conversation in a few days if your willing. Hell I might even seek you out, I'm curious about what the warriors in this village train like."

At this turn of events the boy's face lit up with surprise and also a sense of gratefulness, and he began speaking to James once again with a polite but hesitant tone in his voice. "R-really? I..I wow... Okay, I can do that. So your a warrior too? You trained somewhere out there?" He asked and James had to hold himself from cringing a bit at the boys enthusiasm and curiosity about such... _delicate information_ about him, but he pushed on while keeping himself composed once again.

"In...a way of speaking, yes. I am a Warrior, there's no changing that about me. But I do have to get going, I'll see you in a few days young Grice. Maybe we'll have that talk." He said and waves as he walked, the boy giving a smile as he too repeated the gesture before walking the other way.

As he walked towards his temporary residence James had a final thought of the boy before bringing his mind to full focus on getting back and finding out the truth. ' _Seems like a good kid. Hope to see what he can show as a warrior.'_

 _._

 _._

 _._

James was nearly finished walking through the cleared path in the forest that Annie and He used yesterday traveling here, and he could smell something in the air. Food, but he hasn't able to specify just what kind. From the way it smelled it appeared to be a soup or stew, because he knew the difference between grilled or boiled meat and it certainly wasn't the former. His stomach rumbled a little bit, after all he hasn't really eaten today aside from a piece of bread Torik had encouraged him to eat before they set out for the out earlier. So right now he was more than willing to eat.

So answers first or eat first? He'd think about it more when he actually gets inside the place, so another few minutes of thinking to himself. James began to see the cabin itself up ahead, maybe a dozen or so meters and getting closer by the second. He saw the faint goow from one of the windows, telling him that at least someone was awake, even if it was just Torik or Annie by themselves. At least he'd have some company to talk with, then again it was no less than a fact that he is going to talk to someone tonight.

As the minutes silently passed James began to mentally prepare himself for a multitude of things, everything from good to bad about his parents and how they might've interacted with Torik if they were indeed from here or passing through at some point in their lives. Torik's words at the pit haven't exactly given him much to work with, since his tone made it seem as if it was something casual and yet worded as if there were urgency into the revelation. Not bad but not exactly good either. So he just has to suck it up and listen to whatever he would be told.

He was closer to the door now, and took a deep breathe before hurrying to knock on the door. A moment passed and he could hear movement on the other side of the door, and finally it opened up before him. He was both delighted and mildy disappointed to see that Annie had been the one to meet him first, true he was happy to see her, but right now the person he wanted to see was her father. Still that didn't stop him from giving her a smile as her face lit up seeing him again. "Hey Ann, guess I came back just in time for supper huh?" He jokingly asked and she rolled her eyes ever so slightly before giving him a hug and an answer.

He returned the embrace before she pulled back, telling him "So it seems, c'mon in to the kitchen. My dad's finishing up his stew." At the word stew he felt a grumbles in his stomach, reminding him that he really hasn't eaten today and will have to soon.

The hearty smell of cooking vegetables and some sort of meat enticed him further as Annie let him and while be closed the door behind him. He walked through the house and came to see Torik over near a stove with a fire underneath, mixing a pot held above the fire itself. He couldn't tell what was being cooked exactly, because it didn't smell like Pork, chicken, or even beef which puzzled him. Sure he's heard of people enjoying goat and such, but mostly towards the interior of the walls where the farmers were richer and held more land. Perhaps there was goats or lamb around this place or even kept on the farms he'd seen on the way to the village when he first arrived.

Torik turned around with a pleasant expression on his face, not showing any signs of distrust nor unwelcoming intent on it. James took that to he a good sign, along with Torik's first words since their spar at the pit. "Well, hello James. It seems like you've arrived just in time for dinner, why don't you and Annie have a seat while I get us some bowls. It's been quite some time since I've eaten with anyone else." At the man's unexpected hospitality James tried to offer some sort of help, despite having been anxious only moments before to a higher degree. "Oh, you don't have to do that, I can-" but before he could finish Torik spoke over him.

"It's quite alright, go sit. Not everyday I meet the child of old...friends..." At the pause in Torik's words James felt the hairs on his neck rise a bit, despite the man still seemingly hospital to him. James decided to just go with the flow of the situation for now and sat down slowly while Annie watched the pair interact from her seat between where He sat and where presumably Torik would sit once he was finished.

James exchanged a neutral glance with Annie, who looked troubled at not knowing exactly why there seemed to be an underlying tension on the air, even if it wasn't nearly as bad as the tension they felt at Stohess or at Wall Rose. To James this told him that she hadn't been told anything since he last saw her a few hours ago, which meant Torik either did not wish to tell her or just preferred for her to wait for Him. Her eyebrow raises at him, a silent question. " _What's going on?"_

 _"We'll find out soon enough."_ He mouthed to her without making any noise, and she read his lips as he did so. She went to say something else, vocally this time, but pressed her mouth into a tight lipped grimace and merely nodded. He eyed Torik from behind as he began to pour the stew into three light colored bowls, which looked like they were made from some sort of stone or bright colored clay rather than wood.

It was strangely smooth looking, so either it was very finely sanded down with rock or cut with something incredibly strong and sharp. The coloring was off as well to him, it looked like a very pale snowy white, but it also had a greyish tinge to it, like bleached bone. Just what was it made of? It seemed so familiar, but he couldn't place what it was. Maybe he'd ask another time, when he wasn't busy or seeking the answers to other much more important questions.

Torik finally came over to the table and set two bowls, each in from of James and Annie, much to their delight. He then walked back briefly to retrieve his own before sitting down. In his other hand he held 3 spoons which looked to be made of a similar material to the bowls, and James looked at the one passed to him with open curiosity plain on his voice. The material was very smooth, weighing nearly nothing but when he tried squeezing it, it didn't move in the slightest. Whatever it was, it was strong. Very strong. Annie didn't seem to take much notice of it, probably having seen and known it since she was a little girl.

James finished his observation and went to use the fork when Annie lightly tapped his hand, stopping him. He looked at her in confusion, but she gestured her head towards her father, who James hadn't been watching since be started trying to figure out what he could about the food utensils. He raised his eyebrows in confusion and surprise at what he saw.

Torik was hunched over on the table, his head bowed and his hands together in a sort of prayer James didn't recognize. The only religious beliefs he ever knew and rejected were the wall cult, but from the statues he'd seen with Ymir Fritz and those other 9, James was most likely going to be getting an insight on whatever Annie and her father along with the rest of the village as well. He actually starts to feel a sense of protectiveness for Ymir, the one currently staying with Bertoldt and his family.

Hopefully her namesake doesn't cause any rifts or problems, after all it's the only one she's ever known from what he saw of her memories. And while he was thinking of it he did have to have a talk with her about it, hell he was going to have to talk to the others too about his unexpected departure earlier today after the fight. Maybe he'd take a walk around tomorrow to do so, he'd rather speak to them all privately than all at once with no care for permission in... difficult subjects.

James shook his head and saw that Annie also bowed her head, and he decided to mimic her as Torik began to speak low, but loud enough for them to both hear. " _Earth, Life, and Beyond, that we owe to you our saviour, you who sacrificed so much for your children. For you have given us strength, unity, and compassion. You have guided us in moments that we were lost, Oh dear mother, send your blessings unto us, for we your children need the strength to continue, for we your children need to fight our enemies, The Haired Beasts that would have us, your people, your children, your kingdom, killed. Oh Sweet Mother, save us and guide us, Dear Ymir Fritz, we thank you."_ He finished and James saw that Annie had raised her head with a more somber expression on her face, and a more relaxed one on Torik's as well.

He took this as a sign that things were calm enough, and he took the spoon and sampled some of the stew in his bowl. He saw there were potatoes, carrots, many small green balls that he guessed were peas, a white colored rice, and finally the rest rest he couldn't quite place. Well, he wouldn't know until he tried it, and with that thought he placed a spoonful with a little bit of everything in his mouth.

He chewed for few seconds before the flavor of the meat met bis tongue, and he almost wanted to moan with how good it was. It was _delicious_. It certainly wasn't beef, because there was a tinge of bird in the taste that wasn't chicken nor pheasant. Pork was definitely out of the question because of how the meat felt cleaner than pig, but also a little tougher. And from what he was tasting, if was certainly a herbivore rather than a carnivore. He's eaten enough deer and wolves to be able to tell the difference between the two. Finally, there was the off sensation that he's had something like this before, but the only animals he's had to eat were wolves, deer, sheep, cow, pig, chicken, pheasant, fish, and finally lizards and snakes he's caught. So just what was this mysterious meat that he was sure Sasha would damn near praise Torik for making?

He was about to ask when he thought again of Sasha, about just what his sister for all intents was doing now. The last he saw, she was heading back with Erwin and the rest when he was in his berserker state. He may not have had the clearest mind at the time, but he did recall seeing her along with the rest of his adopted family making it back from the retrieval effort. What did they think of him now? He's explained his actions to most of them, he told Hange and her assistant about what he grew up under, but he'd failed to tell about the Haired Giants. Would they just think of him as an impulsive and selfish individual who only does as he wishes to survive? If so, then they weren't exactly wrong for thinking that of him.

But the thing is that he hadn't just been doing everything for his safety and such. He's offered help to Ymir on what she should do but ultimately giving her the freedom of choice, after all it was her decision not his. He partially came to Eldia seeking a home, but knowing he would have to protect and save that home as well with the ability so many have died over. He was also wanting to return to the walls not only to completely toppel the monarchy for all the chaos and needless death they've caused, but because he wants to see his friends and family living with freedom clear before them. He wanted them all to live happy lives, just like be wished for himself and Annie.

And finally there was Annie herself, the person he cares and loves above all others. Even Sasha's bond with him cane in second place to the way he feels for Annie. It was her words that kept him from annihilating them when he woke up in the forest of giant trees. It was her confession that gave him the hope of living a life without hate after they were captured on the 57th. It was her coming to him and hugging him with tears nearly coming from her eyes way back in training that showed him another person could hold that level of importance in his life because they saw him in the same way.

And so he wanted to protect her with his very life if need be. And if she died before him, before her rightful time way into the future after they lived a long and happy life, then he would keep to a promise of destruction and death he declared in the city of Stohess.

He would destroy the world.

The only thing he did have going for him in regards to the truth of things was the fact that he _did_ tell Sasha everything in full, Annie and the warriors village to the threat the Haired Giants and the Beast Titan represented. That and Eren was also apart of the coordinate incident, he had to have seen into their memories the same way he had into theirs, did he perhaps know as well and could verify Sasha's information to the scouts to? The bigger question was whether or not he would. Eren was rash, but there are things be wouldn't be able to deny or unsee. The memories would be those things, hopefully. Maybe things wouldn't come to a point where he would have to use force to get what he wants.

If it did, then he'd actually find himself pitying his enemy for once. It would be a completely one sided battle, 5 shifters against 1, and each of those 5 have amazing defensive and offensive abilities built into them.

James shook his head and took yet another bite before swallowing and asking Torik "What is this meat that you used? It's delicious, but I've never had it before. And believe me, I've had many types." Torik seemed to smirk a tiny bit and merely commented "No, I doubt you have being inside the walls." Before James could ask him to expand on that Annie spoke up with a humorous smile on her face.

"It's from an animal called a Thunder Lizard James, you won't really find them anywhere else except this far from the walls and probably way farther beyond. You'd know if you've seen one, they're too big to be contained in the walls." She explained and he tilted his head in curiosity. "Really? About how big do they get?" He asked her, his natural hunting instincts kicking in, which only were strengthened from his time with Sasha, and this time Torik spoke.

"Your Titan form would be able to ride it like a child atop a horse. Their given their name because of when they stampede when chased, the ground shakes and the sound van be heard for miles. Their like cattle, they move in herds and luckily are herbivores. And on occasion our warriors go and take a few of them down to stockpile on meat for months. As you can tell, their meat is quite tasty, which allows us to raise more livestock for when the herds are a little thin." Torik finished and James found himself very interested in these "thunder lizards" he just learned about.

Never has he heard of such creatures, the largest thing he's ever seen living was Bert's Titan form. And after that it was his mother and father's Titans that looked down on him, and being taller than most he's seen he always took comfort in his size allowing him to be top predator and fighter. And now he's hearing about regular animals that dwarf his own titan form in the scale of him being able to ride one like it was nothing. He's definitely curious about just where these things live, and wants to know if he would ever see one of them.

"How long have your...our people hunted these creatures? When was the last time?" He asked and Torik and Annie both noticed that James appeared to be very interested in knowing more about them. Torik obliged the younger lad's curiosity and began to explain more.

"Well as far as I know, we've coexisted alongside them just fine, the humans did as well when there used to be human shifter villages. It's actually part of what brought our races together, we would hunt them and they would carry out tasks that would allow our kind to live better. At the time we didn't have such things like wagons nor fortified homes, or medicines for sicknesses our healing could not conbac against, they showed us how to create our own and we provided food and protection for both races. But when the he haired giants arrived and decimated so many of both people's, and the Coordinate fled to create his walls and left us to rot, we began to recede somewhat."

Not understanding, James listened on as what had begun as questions to the large beasts became a small telling of the history of the two races over who knows how many decades. Now the man had his attention, after only been given a brief explanation of the way the Coordinate came to create the walls, how the shifters had pleaded and were turned away, the haired Giants and the Beast Titan being the reason for both events, and eventually the attack on Wall Maria. Other than that he was almost completely ignorant of such things, and he'd rather not be that way for much longer. On quite a few subjects as well, personal history mixed in there as well. He asked Torik "Recede how?"

Torik put down his spoon as he had a troubled look on his face, but nonetheless he answered. "Like I said before, humans helped us by giving us medecines and new creations for us to utilize in our day to day lives. When there were no more medicine makers for the longest time...a small plague affected out people. Our healing abilities did nothing to keep us healthy, many died from it within a month of infection. But luckily, there was a man who had learned e ough from the humans on their medicines and passed the knowledge on to his son before he died. His son, Grisha, then used what he'd learned and was able to create a effective cure to the illness and saved the village, along with his wife."

The mentioned name felt familiar, but coming to no avail with it he nodded and asked a question of his own. "And since then have things been any easier? I see how many people are around here, and not many of them look sick. I take it our people have gotten more advanced?" At James inquiry torik nodded with something like pride in his eyes, the same glint James caught when praising his daughter on her combat skills.

"That's right, and since we were able to live more peaceful lives as one could outside the walls without worrying over disease, we began to advance in other things we previously knew little about but enough that se could still survive with. Our construction was greatly changed because some of our race were able to incorporate their titans into their homes through hardening skin or in our family's case, crystallization. Annie's grandparents, Ymir rest their souls, were able to completely construct a house for themselves by focusing and practicing on creating objects and shapes with their bodies instead of just covering themselves like I and my daughter can do."

As interested as James was by the mentioning of Annie's other family, James decided it was time for him to ask about his own. He needed to know. "And did _my parents_ ever do something similar? After all, you spoke their names like you knew them."

At his words James carefully watched Torik's reaction, and saw that he had a tired look in his eyes. Not from sleep loss, but from possibly remembering something from the past once again, much like he might during their fight earlier today. The table sat in silence as Jane's and Annie both waited to hear what the man would say in response, and finally after a solid minute of nothing he sighed and looked James straight on the eyes. "No, they did not since they could not harden their bodies. John has his armored hide, and Selene didn't possess the ability. Not that she would've needed it, she was already one of the deadliest fighters I've ever known."

"So you knew them quite well?" James asked and Torik smiled faintly before nodding. "Aye, I did. Good friends of mine for nearly half of my life. We met when I was in my teens, no younger than my daughter's and yourselves age when I came across then trying to join the village's Warrior program. They didn't know each other before they joined, and I didn't know them much either. I was more of a talker back then, and I seemed to get along with then easily enough, and they with me."

At the mention of age James interrupted politely before Torik would go on. "You say you met as teens? How old is the induction age to become a Warrior for the village? I met a boy, Falco Grice on the way here, and he seemed no older than 10 or 12 at most." At the observation Toriks face grew a bit grim and actually a bit depressed as well.

"Things weren't the way they are now back then, children actually got to enjoy childhood till around 16 or 17. Then it was about time to make a decision on what they will do with their lives. The minimum age for the Warriors is 16, because most felt it was a good enough age to know right from wrong and whether or not decision making was good enough. I certainly don't think that now, but it's just the way things were." He smirked briefly with the air of age superiority and wisdom but shook his head and continued on as if it weren't a need to know fact.

"But due to most of our heartiest warriors being taken down by both the Beast Titan and Haired Giants along with the mindless Titans they spawn, we've had to... unfortunately recruit from younger age. My daughter was one of the first to be recruited after the new order was given, alongside the others you returned with. Harsher times can call for harsher realities." He finished with a bitter look on his face.

James said nothing because he knew exactly what Torik was implying, the basic term would be child soldiers or this this case Warriors, but neither was a desirable thing. Wars, battles, fights shouldn't be handled or thrust upon the shoulders and backs of children. Children should be free of such things, not ignorant mind you, because that would prove to be problematic and possibly dangerous for them. They should know of things, but it should not be on the forefront of their minds. He himself was a prime example of this, and Annie along with the rest were as well. But thinking of such things happening here in this village actually began to make James angry. And once again, it was due to his parents and their choices in his life.

"Did any other villages ever resort to it, or was it just something that happened here?" He asked Torik, trying to keep a level tone, but failing towards the end. Annie seemed to have caught on and was about to try and prevent her father from responding but she was too late by then. "Dad-"

"No, our village was the first and last ones to do it, especially since we're quite certain that there are _no other villages left anymore."_ Torik told him, bitter at mentioning the loss of so many shifter lives because of selfishness and the damned Beast Titan. He'd been forced to train his daughter how to fight and defend herself after his wife, her mother had died and left him with his newborn baby. Forced to prepare himself for the sounds and vibrations of footsteps coming for their race for nothing more than just an endless hunger and the one thing which would end their miserable existence as mindless. The very blood and spinal fluid which ran in their bodies, the only know cure to being trapped in the form of a mindless titan-

"You're wrong. About being the last to do that. Making child warriors." James voice cut across his thoughts and surprised him with the tone of which he spoke the declaration. He looked at the boy further, at how hard be was staring at the table, almost as if his gaze alone would destroy it. Torik didn't understand what was causing the boy to act this way, was it something he'd said? He got his answer when James began to speak in that same hard tone not meeting his or Annie's gaze.

"My parents trained me to be a warrior as well, I'm guessing they took whatever they learned when they were here and applied it to me. Along with whatever else they thought would "help me" become stronger, able to survive. But they seemed to forget the part of what the minimum age was. Because they started fully training me and my Titan when _I was five."_ He emphasized and Torik found himself staring with wider wide eyes at the not before him.

 _They'd done What?_

 _'They started training him when he was just a toddler?! No, John wouldn't, Selene wouldn't...she loved children! How could she do that to her own child?! No, it has to be a lie, there was no way-'_ Torik thought rapidly when James continued.

"If you don't believe me, I can prove it to you." James said and Torik raised an eyebrow, both afriad and curious as to what the boy meant. He nodded slowly, and James began to push himself from the table. He stood up and walked over to Torik while taking off his shirt, and Toriks eyes began to dart to many, many spots all along the presented torso. What be saw both horrified and impres him at the same time.

All along Draekon's body there were scars that had long since healed over, small places where it seemed like his body was missing flesh, and most of the other marks looking suspiciously like bite marks. Not human bite marks, but by animals. Wild animals. He's seen plenty of those before, hell he has a few of his own on his legs as well as his back. But he next to none of the number that adorned the young man's body. He began to feel a bit sick as the thought of his once friends doing this to their own child began grow and fester in his head rapidly. Why the hell would they do this?!

"James...what exactly did your parents...what did John and Selene do to you?" Torik asked, and placed his spoon down, his appetite long gone as be tried to imagine people he once knew doing whatever had caused those marks to be apart of the boys body. The only way he could see James getting them was to be around many animals at a time, had they lived in a wooded area within the walls for a long time? Did they have a particular infestation of wolves or such that they were forced to live in close proximity of?

James stayed silent until he put his shirt back on and sat down with a bitter grimace on his face, and Torik could tell that the question was a personal one, but be needed to know. He hadn't had contact of any sort with the boys parents when they left, no one had. Initially they were even believed to have been dead by most who had known them and had passed on or the few whom resided in the village still. While there was still hope that they might've made it to the walls, the lack of any sort of return for nearly 2 decades made most think they were dead and eventually they were forgotten. But Torik still remembered them. Or at least, what they were like before they decided to leave.

James finally sat down and began to tell Torik while staring at the table again, not showing much expression on his face except for bitterness. "My parents never told me there were more of our kind living outside of the Walls, nor the Haired Giants, but they did tell me the differences between Mindless Titans and Shifters. How to recognize them, and then they began to train me to become a Warrior. I began to train under them, first in my human form and once I turned five, my Titan form. I shifted for the first time when I was five, dad had brought me to just outside the Walls, and showed me what a lone mindless Titan looked like. Then, he took me off his Titans back and set me on the ground near it."

The last line drained a good portion of the blood from Toriks now horrified face, and James continued like he had atop of Wall Rose to his friends and the scouts. "He told me to fight, to kill it, or else I would be killed. I never transformed before, I didn't know what to do. I..I _was just so goddamn scared. But, then a miracle happened."_ James lowered his voice, and Torik guessed what the boy meant when he then finished.

"I shifted for the first time, with no real control or thought, and I killed the Titan before me. I did it without any control whatsoever, and my dad praised me for doing so, but told me that I would need to be faster the next time. Meaning I'd have to face more mindless soon enough, and so I did with less fear. Because I swore to myself that I'd do anything to survive, I'd killed anything that would try to harm me or those I cared about. And from that day on, I trained and began to get better and better at fighting and protecting myself." He paused and took a breathe before having a look of remeniscence in his eyes before he went on.

"I fought against mindless Titans again and again, I sparred and trained with my parents in both human and Titan form. And they also trained me on how to fend for myself by leaving me alone for weeks at a time in random parts of the walls, forested areas and such where I would need to find my own food and shelter. That's how I have those marks on my body, I used to find off wolves and such, and eventually I started to _hunt_ them for food. Does the village's program offer something like that when you and them joined? Did it ever do stuff like that to make sure the warriors are self sufficient?" He asked quietly towards the end, and Torik sighed and shrugged, trying to find the right words to say.

"While we do do have wilderness survival training of our own, I along with no one in our class experienced it from our families. We did have to learn to survive on our own or make it to a waypoint with some sort of goal or time limit, but not outright abandonment. I guess that makes you more of a warrior than we were during those times, and despite our age differences at those times. I'm just...shocked, that John and Selene would do such a thing to their only child." Torik said as he shook his head in sympathy and slight disgust with what he had heard.

" _Not their only child._ I had a sister of my own, younger than me. But she didn't experience what I did, and I'm grateful for that." James corrected and Torik asked hesitantly "And where is she? Did she stay behind to the walls as well?"

At this Annie winced ever so slightly but surprisingly James didn't seem to acknowledge the question at first until he nodded, much to her confusion. "In a way of speaking...she and my parents all stayed back." He said with a hollow tone in his voice, not meeting Torik's eyes, and didn't speak to explain more. Torik seemed to realize that it might've been a private or touchy subject for the boy. He decided to move away from that subject and pressed on with a different question.

"I see...well while I am mortified to know of what my former friends did to you, their son, I am glad that they made you strong enough to survive in this cruel world. I know I've tried to do what I could with Annie, but I've come to regret putting her through some of it. But since you mentioned that you you are from the walls, have you met any others of our kind there? Hiding in secret? Like the Jaegers?" He asked and both Annie and James snapped their gaze to Toriks face, and he raised his eyebrows in mild confusion at the sudden interested look in their faces. "What?"

 _"You said other shifters, like the Jaegers?"_ Janes and Annie both asked, stunned at hearing that name spoken around here, the farthest place they were from the walls and the last Jaeger himself. Their faces and minds only grew more confused when Torik nodded without quite understanding why their were so shocked.

"Yes, the Jaegers. The older pair died a few years ago, but Grisha and his wife Dina left with their son around the same time your parents ts did James. They wanted to try and find a life inside the walls, and maybe try to persuade the king to kind." The older man explained and James asked a question of his own.

"Dina? I never heard that name before. I only know of a Grisha Jaeger from a few mentions, _Carla Jaeger his wife,_ whose life I saved. And finally Eren Jaeger their son, But Grisha has another child? Cause the Eren we know never mentioned or k ew anything about a brother or some other woman named Dina." James explained and now Torik was the one with a really confused expression on his face.

"I know nothing about a woman named Carla, nor of any Eren other than what You and Annie told me. The only son I knew was Zeke."

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 **Ah, evil aren't I? Leaving you guys on yet another cliffhanger after months of nothing at all. Well I am very sorry to do that to you, but I didn't want this chapter to drag on like I felt I did with writing it, this one has been my hardest. Not even the few 10 or 12k ones were this hard to write, guess that says some things about my style. Peace time isn't easy to do, then again this is temporary peace in it's own way. Still have major actiony chapters to take place not only in the future as rcs but this one as well. Now onto why I haven't updated.**

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 **I bit off a little more than I can chew at the moment, but believe me I'm gonna chew until I'm finished and keep on going. Not only do I have this story to write for, I have another SnK one (Awakening), a Monster Girls story which is coming to a close soon (Web of Hearts) which the new chapter will be coming soon and it'll be a VERY long one, promise. A Tokyo Ghoul story which has been flowing from my mind quite nicely for a time now and is just getting fired up (One Rung Up The Food Chain), and I've recently just started a small story into the Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid series which I loved called Goddesses Need Love too if y'all are interested. And that brings me to the second minor part of my absence.**

 **As soon as I posted the last story I got two hateful reviews from an anonymous guest whom I've frown a hatred for. Now while that ain't gonna stop me from writing it just pissed me right the hell off that I received those hateful remarks. And I know it's also the same person who leaves similar reviews to other stories like mine in the franchise just because most likely their a sad pathetic person who should learn to chill the fuck out and leave people alone just because their stuff isn't what you want. So I'm gonna keep on writing for ALL my stories, and i will never stop. Even if a story gets no updates for a long time, keep faith because it probably means I'm working on another story that needs some chapters** **.**

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 **But, I am back, and will only do a single chapter before moving on to work on another story UNLESS I'm in the mood to keep going and partially work on the next one for the same story. And I haven't had those great moods since I was still writing 2k chapters for the first 90 something chapters for this story. Also I've recently recreated my Tumblr (HAD to destroy the old one for...reasons.) so you guys and gals can also find me on there with the same name I use on here, and you'll be able to tell it's me from my Otp (EreAnnie) being quite thriving on there for snK positivity week. Which this fandom DOES need in ought of how the manga has been lately. Now onto Manga talk so if your not caught up to the latest chapters anz arc (94 and onwards) BEWARE. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK LOL.**

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 **So if you've come this far then you know what your in for.**

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 **Manga has been surprising to say the least, Zeke being an Eldian Restorationist all along, Mikasa being treated special (yet AGAIN. Overrated asf, same with Levi, come at me.) By Miss Kyiomi who finally reappeared and is willing to come to an alliance if certain conditions are agreed upon. Gabi once again being hated (her plot armored is as strong as Reiner's he's just a WAYYYY better character.) While my poor boy Falco has to be dragged along. Eren imprisoned even though he DOES have the Warhammer and could basically tell the scouts to fuck off if he wanted, Yelena (who I've really come to like so far) and her team beigb turned on sadly because there really is no way to keep Zeke contained except Levi and now Eren, and here we go, the scandal of the century HISTORIA IS FUCKING PREGNANT!**

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 **Questions such as was it forced, who's the daddy, and what else she's thinking are still a mystery. I personally hope it's not just some Noble family cause then it would feel kinda meaningless to me if they were just some people we've never seen before instead of someone we do know, like Eren. Personally I hope it is Jaeger boy, he deserves some happiness even if it is something he would rather not have to do out of respect for Historia. I know it's probably no secret if you've read my other AoT story, then you probably knew by now that I REALLY do t like eremika even if I did make it for this story, but that's mainly because I already had other ships in place e that wouldn't have allowed him with my other preferred ship for him which is EreHisu. I do have many ships in this story, we got James x Annie, Connie x Sasha (my poor potato girl, FUCK GABI FOR THAT, SHE FUCKING SPARED YOU BRAT!), Minor but growing BerYumi, and eventual ReiKuri Because cmon there isn't enough stories on this site for those last two, and I've left poor Jean all alone...for now. Don't worry, I have plans for him.**

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 **Well that's all I can say for now, follow me on Tumblr if you want to see some art I've been trying to do for this story as well as others, and I'm currently looking to update Web of Hearts next, so Spider girl fans rejoice!**


	105. Eldia-One day to the next

**F** **inally it's new chapter time! Sorry if the last one felt like it dragged on or didn't have much heart in it, it truthfully was the hardest for me to write out of all my stories aside from Web of Hearts. But I also know I ended it on a cliffhanger and didn't get to explain much, but I will in this chapter along with moving the story forward events wise but not too much just yet. The Warriors have earned the right to a little down time. So on continues the Eldia Arc! As usual, drop a review, tell me your thoughts on the chapter and the Manga too if you wish, I'll leave my responses to the later at the very end. I might be doing secondary Authors notes from now on. Let us begin!**

 **I'm aware that this is nearly 6 to 7 months without a update, and I hope this really long chapter makes up for it. I had some issues which cau** **sed an absence on working for nearly all of my stories. I'll have a full explanation at the end of the chapter alomg with my thoughts on the current chapter of the manga.**

 **Warning, there is some question content towards the end. There'll be hints of what it is as you go further on in Reiner's POV, so just be ready. I'll be putting a warning for where it begins and ends for those who want to skip it although I do recommend it. It is my first attempt at this sort of thing so forgive me if it's... odd.**

 **At least Hange would be interested.**

 **Lets begun, and please leave a review.**

 _Eldia-One_ _Day To The Next Day._

"I only knew a boy named Zeke." Torik Leonhardt said, just as confused as Annie and James were at the conflicting knowledge they were presenting each other.

 _What the hell is going on here?_

James and Annie knew of Eren being the only son of Grisha Jaeger wirh his mother _Carla_. But Torik was telling them the Jaeger family left the village along with his own parents nearly 2 decades ago, a group comprising of Grisha, his wife _Dina_ , and his son named _Zeke_. So either some names are getting confused or there's some stuff he just doesn't know about here, the same going for the other occupants in the dining room. James was starting to lean towards the later and decided to press on for whatever he could find out and try to understand.

"Why exactly did they choose to leave the village?" He asked and Torik shrugged his shoulders. "I know that they were both unhappy with the way our village decided to heed the warning of the wall king from so long ago, and they challenged the leaders back then about why we should sit by and wait for death to come anyways. They suggested that we should launch an attack on the Walls themselves, all or nothing." He said with a sigh and James found it both easy and hard to believe that his parents would make that sort of a decision.

Hard because of how they raised him to protect such people, ingraining it into his brain that he must fight for them even if they hate him. But he could also see them making that decision in his mind as well, because at heart they were kind but natural fighters. They never went out of their way to seek a fight like he did for a good portion of his life before his cadet days, but they would sure as hell fight if they had to. And they would always fight to win, no matter who it was or how many. They weren't idiotic, but they always tried if nothing else.

James swallowed and nodded his head before saying "I see, and I take it not many in the village were keen on the idea with a possible war on the table." Torik nodded and was thankful that the boy was smart and didn't need everything overexplained to him. "Oh there were some who agreed with their mindset, but they weren't as committed because of their families or didn't have the nerve to actually try it. They feared that if they didn't have enough support that they would cause the rest of our people to be killed off by the Wall Titans."

While James understood that way of thinking, be still found himself disappointed that his parents had to be one of the only people to do anything against the monarch of the walls. From the way he was raised and the warriors he knew, their people were somewhat proud ones who wouldn't stop until they completed their missions. Even Bertoldt with his anxious nature would still pull through if his friends or family needed him to, and James was no different. So it prompted the question once again, why. James looked Torik in the face and asked another question. "Why did no one do anything, even before the Beast Titan appeared. Why did my parents have to be the ones to do something. Why were they the only ones inside the walls?" He asked once again.

Torik just stared him in the eyes before saying something that caught James and Annie by surprise. _"Because they weren't the only Shifters inside the walls. Just the only ones on Eldia's side."_

Annie was the first to speak from the shock. " _What?_ I thought only the Royal Family had at least 1 inheritor. You mean there's more, and _no one told us when we left for the mission years ago?!"_ She damn near shouted at her own father, had they known this then they might've refused unless they took more Warriors with them. Yes they had little time battling the Haired giants to debate such things, but this was a major thing to just overlook. Reiner and Herself were the clear fighters of their group, Marcel was built more so for speed and retrieving the power while Bertoldt would provide defense. And that was all just for a _single_ shifter. Multiple shifters could've spelt disaster for them had they actually managed to confront the founder inside the capital city.

Torik nodded with his face holding guilt, but he did defend himself. "We haven't been inside those walls since they were erected, and only one of three Messengers was sent back. We don't know how many could have been there, but for a definite there is the royal family and possibly a guardian family to them. Beyond that it's a mystery."

James could understand the man's reasoning, although had he been in Annie's situation years ago he would've rather known and tried to be prepared for that problem. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and tried to think of what to talk about next, this talking of his parents was now starting to annoy him because of just how ignorant about them he really was.

He knew so little about _his own parents,_ and that fact was beginning to bother him the more time passed. He would continue this talk another time, but he did want to know one thing before this ended. "I'm going to get some air, but Torik there is something I wish to know. Are there... _any other Draekons alive?_ Is there any more aside from ny mother and father?". James asked the older man as he stood up and saw him sigh tiredly. James began preparing himself for the worst, which was that he _is_ the last of his family. After all, he's been here about 2 days now and no one came forward to see him as kin.

If he was the last, it would both be of no consequence and painful, because he had some miniscule sliver of hope that he could claim to be blood related to someone else. And if he wasn't... then he doesn't know how he would take that cold fact truthfully. If no one came to see him then that could mean they were sick and unable to meet him being bedridden. Or, he could be seen as undesirable since his nother and father did leave against the wishes of the village and might've been seen as an outcast whose status passed unto him. But if that were the case, James doubted that the people who cheered him on earlier in the Pit were not fond of him because of his parents.

"Your father was an only child, but Selene did have a younger sister. Her name was Seliah, and unfortunately I only know she went after the group to attack the walls barely a week after they suddenly left. Your grandparents on your mother's side both passed last year in the summer, peacefully and together. John's father passed when he was about your age, and his mother after he left with your mother and the Jaegers."

The man paused as he found himself recollecting those memories for the first time in over a decade. He shook his head tiredly and finished with "I'm sorry that I can't give you better news James." Torik apologized sincerely for not being able to give the boy better news, and felt his heart crumble a bit at the boy's reaction to the news.

James took in everything he heard with a strange sense of calm and eventually a slow, freezing sorrow. Despite knowing better, He had briefly gotten his hopes up hearing that he has an Aunt on his mother's side, but upon hearing she disappeared after his parents that hope died. And if only he learned about the village a year or so ago, he might've been able to meet his grandparents who he doesn't even have names for. But he was ignorant to them, he was late. And once again it seems like Fate has cursed him with being the last of his family. He only has those he found to care about now, his adopted family.

That would have to be enough.

"You don't have to apologize for anything, it's not your fault. But-" James pauses and his eyes seemed to change in both Annie's and Torik's views, from sorrow to a sort of burning hatred. Torik was briefly reminded of how Selene and John looked when they decided to set out for the walls that night, while Annie was reminded of something far more unpleasant. She was reminded of the 57th expedition when she and James had been caught by the Scouting legion, and she was also reminded about when she told James vaguely about Reiner and Bertoldt. This was also the same look she saw in Eren's eyes at the forest of giant trees and later just before he set titans on them. This was the look of pure vengeance, and she knew he would stop at nothing to carry it out.

 _"I am going to make those truly responsible pay_. As soon as I'm finished making this place safe, I'm returning to the Walls." He declared before leaving the table and placing his bowl and spoon on the counter, and walking out the front door. He didn't do so violently, but he undoubtedly did it in response to his emotions regarding his newly learned family history. Torik went to protest and stop the boy from leaving but his own daugher stopped him before he could. " _Annie?"_ He questions, surprised.

"Dad, Your not going to change his mind. I've tried before with certain things and trust me when I say this is something I wouldn't try. Nor would I want to, because _I'm_ going back as well to settle things." Annie finished, her voice full of the same unmovable resolution that attracted Torik to her mother, Ymir rest her soul. Torik however began to feel a sense of fear and unease creep up on him once again as he processed her words. She will be leaving again.

 _'No, I can't, I forced her to leave already!'_ He thought with guilt even though she did volunteer for the mission. "Annie, please don't leave. You and the others just returned after 5 years, and I already regret having forced you to grow up and take on such responsibilities when you shouldn't have had to. I-".

 _"Dad, I chose to leave."_

Annie stopped him by raising her voice a little, but not enough to be considered yelling. She took a deep breath and went on to ease her father's guilt. "You didn't force me into anything, you need to understand that. Yes, you trained me to fight since I was little _, but I'm grateful for it._ It's that same training that's kept me alive, and it's allowed me to protect people I care about, including James. And for that, I thank you again. I wanted to help our people, so I did what I had to. Just like James did, and still wishes to. Me, Reiner and Bertoldt all still have things we have to atone for, and it involves us going back to the walls."

"What do you mean by _atone_?" Her father asked slowly, although he had some inkling of what his daughter could have meant when she said that. It was now Annie's turn to be questioned, and from the way she shrunk and looked towards the floor with shame, she didn't want it but had to do it. Torik asked again in a gentler tone. "Atone for what?"

Annie didn't say anything for a good minute, but when she finally did his daughter stared him straight in his eyes with those icy blues of hers. But there was no fire, no anger or fury. Not even melancholy or tiredness from the sheer feeling of being home once again. There was only shame, guilt, and sorrow. Sorrow for something he did not know that must have happened when she met James or arrived at the walls.

 _"For helping kill hundreds of thousands, including James family."_

 _*outside*_

James was sitting outside on the porch, staring into the dark woods near the house. He could see and feel a small breeze blowing through the long grassy like leaves of the huge tree nearby. He could vaguely smell cooking food in the distance, more of that Thunder Lizard meat Torik told him about before. It was pretty quiet outside aside from the usual sounds of crickets and birds flapping about or calling to one another. So in other words, it was very nice to anyone who would be out at night.

 _So why wasn't he able to enjoy any of it?_

It was a rhetorical question, because James knew exactly why he wasn't in a good mood. Or why he wasn't really feeling anything right now aside from a weird sensation of hollowness. Because he was the last of his family, anywhere in the world that he knew about. No parents, no sister, no aunts or uncles. No cousins or grandparents, no relatives whatsoever. He was completely alone in that regard. James didn't know many people close to him who also shared that sentiment.

Eren had his mother as well as his adopted sister in Mikasa, although from what he heard during their last encounter, that relationship might have changed into something else. Jean had his mother and his father, same with Bertoldt, who also had an older sister who was into him for some odd reason. Sasha only had her Pa left, although he never knew about her mother so he never asked. Reiner did still have his mother and his cousin Gabi, which means he might also have an aunt and uncle to fall back on. Annie has just her father, and from James has been able to piece together lost her mother shortly after she was born. About the only two who could really understand James were ironically two people who pissed James off the most of his... extended family, aside from Eren of course.

And those two were Mikasa and Armin.

Mikasa's story had been told to him by Eren and Armin shortly after their vicious sparring match all those years ago. James understood then why the girl was so protective of the boy she considered her only family, and he'd commended Eren on his way of thinking when that sad tragedy had happened. He pitied her, however that didn't mean James had to tolerate the way Mikasa acted. Since in his eyes though the girl had good intentions, her actions limited Eren's growth. What did help him out was his training with himself and Annie, and his closer brotherly relationship he'd once had with Reiner.

But then again that was something James couldn't exactly just go back to. How could you just act like nothing happened between you and those directly responsible for your family's deaths? The answer was simple: you didn't.

No, James hasn't acted the same way towards Reiner ever since be discovered his identity as the Armored Titan. There was no going back from that revelation, and certainly no way to avoid it when he saw his face. James tried racking his brain to remember his reaction and his facial expressions all those years as cadets, back when he would talk about utterly decimating the Armored and Colossal titans whenever they were brought up in conversations. How did they feel all those times, when they were sometimes only a few steps or even an arm's length away from someone who wanted to make them suffer and send them to hell? Did they feel only fear, or shame?

Well he knew that they felt guilt, Reiner's split personality was a testament to that. Then there was Bertoldt,'s act of even injuring himself if what Ymir said was the truth. Annie seemed to have coped with it the best, mainly because she had him to support herself emotionally even if she never told him about that until after the expedition and later on Stohess.

James thoughts then turned to Armin, and he remembered the only mention of family the boy had ever made was of his grandfather who was sent in the failed recovery operation after Wall Maria fell. That was something James had felt guilty about because if he had been able to seal that hole all those years ago then maybe humanity could've reclaimed that territory without sacrificing so many for what Commander Pixis had outright called a purge. But James hadn't been in his best state of mind that day, and wasn't for quite a while until his very first encounter with the Beast Titan. So in a way, it was his fault his grandpa was dead, just like Annie, Bert and Reiner were responsible for his family.

It sickened him. It was like a twisted game of pass the torch, each of them responsible in one way or another for a death. If they hadn't killed his family while attacking the walls, what would he have done? His parents would've been a part of the relief effort, and tried to plug up the jole or even might've prevented Reiner from making it in the first place. If there was a hole it could've been plugged and no refugees would be sent to be killed off. If they did die and he would've had Eve, he could've tried to do it himself and wouldn't be responsible for those people dying and losing all of wall Maria. So it was both His fault _and_ the Warriors for Armin's grandpa's death, along with so many others.

And that fact just made James hate and _like_ death even more.

He would never say he loved death, it was hard enough to say he _liked_ it without feeling like a psychopath. He never went out of his way to kill or harm others, especially innocent people. But he couldn't deny he did get a thrill out of besting an enemy, and it didnt matter what form it was in. A human, a titan, or merely an animal he's hunting out in the woods for food. That sensation, that _feeling_ is the same, that tingle of power over another being and utterly robbing it of life because of your own abilities and skills. Your own mind and body having been taught and trained for that exact bloody art.

But that was as far as he favored it, because he's been on the _receiving_ end of such power. He's been around enough death to know how it feels when it hits close to home, which is why he always gives the option to his foes to back out. If not, then all the worse for them. They made their choice, and so they would die with it.

So, he was back to being the last of his family, but he wasn't alone anymore. Right?

James held his right hand out in fron of his face, and just stared at it without saying a word. He could just faintly see a lighter streak of skin that marked his favorite area to bite when transforming. Despite his healing abilities, some things stayed om his body no matter how he wanted them gone. Marks, scars, bites, they all stayed if they were made enough times or deep enough. He wished people could recover the same, but they were so easily breakable.

Going too fast downhill, a fall from a little too high. A hit to the head or neck with more pressure or force than usual. All so frail, people just seemed to die so easily.

But not him.

No, he always seemed to survive such things. It was mostly due to his healing ability as a shifter, but it always seemed he healed more efficiently so that he could take more blows and damage to things that could _not_ heal. He has had titans strike him, wolves and other wild animals bite and claw him. He's felt a Colossal Titan drop and crash right on top of him, he's been punched, elbowed and kicked by titan shifters he's seen as enemies and as family.

But his mind, and his heart were the two things that never really went back to how they were. Each death of someone he's cared about has changed him in some way. Each experience has made him become something else little by little. Eventually he was once a monster, surviving on instinct and basic primal emotions. Anger, sadness, content, curiosity, and hunger. That's all his mind was for a while, and then it changed because of a near death experience.

Then a wonderful change happened, but without death as a catalyst. He met someone who he could care about and protect, and that person did the same for him. He became less of a monster, and met others who he could see as something more than friends or foes. He began to make himself another family. And for 3 long years they stayed that way, a peaceful but tough slice of life.

But it didnt last.

Family, brothers became enemies once again. Sisters and brothers became unsure of him because of his actions. People died, and he was undeniable a part of the cause. But they never thought to look at themselves first, and ask if they were any better. They just _did_ things, and that absolute way of viewing him as an enemy made him angry. But not all saw him that way, they took the time to listen, to try and understand him. They would not treat him as an enemy, but they would not let things just return as they once were. Some things just couldn't be helped, James understood that easily enough. And now he was far away from the largest part of them, in a foreign place where people accepted him, and even praised him because they saw him as something Good, a savior though he had done nothing yet.

But he also faced death once again, but not as cutting as the other times. There was instead just the feeling of loneliness instead of outright pain and sorrow. Because he was the last Draekon, and unless he ever had children of his own, which he's _never_ considered out of fear of what could happen to them, he always would be the last. There were once others, but they were no more. Time claimed them, and left him on his own.

Why couldn't he even have just one person that he shared blood with?

 _Why?_

' ** _Why?_** _'_

He didn't hear the door open behind him, nor the quiet footsteps until his could feel a pair of arms slowly wrap themselves around his neck from behind. He didn't realize he could feel two stream of something like water coming down his cheeks as he stared at his now clenched hand. A hand that was held so tight that his nails were cutting into his palm, and shook with the least visible of vibrations. But still, they shook nonetheless.

 _'Why?'_

"James?" A voice said, soft and caring.

 _'Why?'_

It belonged to the one who cared for him that made the great change of happiness.

James let the tension in his hand ease and watched without emotion as the small cuts began to sow themselves shut as small wisps of steam rose and disappear into the air. No more than a minute passed before the hand was repaired and he heard the same voice call for him again. "James? Are you alright?" But this time it seemed even quieter, and just as soft as before. James reached and held onto the arms around his neck. Annie rested her forehead on his nape as she awaited his reaction. He didn't speak, he didn't cry anymore than he had unknowingly done already. He just wanted to hold something, and right now Annie's arms were the greatest comfort available.

After a few minutes of silence and just sitting there, James finally spoke to her. "I don't know, really. I'm not sure how I feel at all. I knew it was very likely that I didn't have anyone else in my family but... I just felt like having hope when your dad said that I had an Aunt. I didn't want to not be the last one. _I wanted it so much,_ nd yet here I am, alone." He lamented sadly, and Annie got off his back to his left side, all the while keeping a grip on him as she did so. She turned his head so that he was no longer facing the woods without really seeing them, and made him face her.

"James, you're _not_ alone." She began and he went to speak when she put a finger in front of his lips and continued while staring him in the eyes. "I mean that while it's true that there's no more Draekons, you're not alone because _I am Here._ You do have people that you can call your family, both here and back in the walls. There's Bert and Reiner even with what they did, Ymir at least is friendly to you as much as she can be. Historia and Sasha both see you as a big brother because you saved them from horrible fates. You never had bad blood with Jean, even during stohess. Hell even _those three_ , or at least _one_ of them doesn't want to kill you because we were all a family. Then there's me, and we both know that we're way beyond _just_ _friends."_ She finished in an attempt of humor to bring back the James she knew and loved.

And much to her delight she saw a small smile crack on his otherwise rocky expression. Finally his face eased up and his eyes just looked tired instead of hollowed, and a small but audible chuckle came from him. "Yeah, I guess you can say we're quite _advanced_ in our friendship." His eyes took a serious look for a moment when he asked her "You still think your father's alright with me?"

Annie smirked a bit and lightly rapped her knuckles on his forehead as an answer. "Of course he is. Your the son of family friends as far as he's concerned, and he is worried about you James. He didn't want to be the one to tell you all that." Annie started lightly but grew more serious towards the end, her hands on both his cheek and the back of his head.

James took her hands and held them in their spots "I know he didn't, but I'm grateful that he did. I at least know more about my parents, but as usual it's left me with more questions. Even with some about Eren's family, which oddly interested me. I'm sure it caught your attention too." Annie nodded in understanding, some things just weren't adding up, but that would be a problem to face when they went back. "Yes, but I could care less about him or them right now. _You_ _are my concern right now_. So I'm going to ask, are you alright?"

One last question, a last reassuring gesture. She knew this wouldn't be the last time she ever asked him something like this, but it would be the final time for now. If she could take his mind from this, then he would feel better and more like himself.

"Yes, I'm okay. I feel better cause of what you said. Thanks Ann." He actually smiled and brought Annie into a close hug, which she returned with an equally strong grip and smile of her own. Then, an idea popped into her head. Something she always knew could brighten James mood aside from " _that"_. She pulled back and asked "Hey James, I know this probably isn't the best time, but why don't we have some fun tomorrow? Just the two of us?"

Much to her brief embarrassment and more so amusement James's face reddened a bit and he asked with some hesitation "Uhhh are you sure that's a good idea? Cause I mean your dad sleeps just down the hall and-"

"No, not _that._ " She said in a monotone to cut him off before she got any more embarrassed. It confused him for a second before he got it, and his reaction amused her.

"Oh. _Oh._ Ah, well sure. I'd be down for a good sparring match, but maybe not in the pit. No offense it's cool, but a _helluva_ walk there and back." Annie shrugged and simply said "Well there's more spots than just there, plus in case you somehow didn't notice, we're surrounded by forests. And I kind of wanted to try it in our titan forms. Just to see what it's like. That sound good?" Already knowing she got his interest since they've never fought or sparred in their titan forms before, so it was a new experience.

"Sounds like a plan. Tomorrow then." James said and Annie felt happy and excited, because it sort of teminded her of the very first time they actually talked with one another. And how combat had been the biggest common ground between the two, something of their first "date" if training could've really been called that. Then they got to know each other better and better the more they frequently met during exercises. Soon after that they usually always sought one another out before others, which earned them both massive amounts of teasing.

Those days seemed so far away, when in reality it's been kittle over a month and a half since they left that lifestyle behind.

The two stayed there for a while, side by side and just listened to the skunds of life in the woods, the smells of cooking and after almost an hour they headed inside. The pair saw that Torik had retired for the night since neither saw him around and assumed he may have gone to bed early. James and Annie however, weren't very tired and decided to stay up a while longer.

Now of course they kept any _lewd_ actions to a near none, they couldn't deny they have both been wanting some alone to themselves for _quite_ a while now. The last time they participated in such _activities_ was the night of graduation, and that had been an intense time because they dreaded soon being separated due to regiment choices. So they decided a few kisses here and there would have to suffice for now. Especially since they weren't 100% sure that Torik was asleep down the hall, and would definitely rather not want to be heard or worse, _seen._

They instead decided that tomorrow would be a great chance.

 _*The Next Day*_

The day was a sunny but cool one, and Reiner Braun was the sort of person to enjoy such days when, they came. He enjoyed the sun but wasn't a huge fan of the heat, so on days like this where the temperature was just right, he made sure to be out and about. Maybe a portion of that quirkiness could be attributed to the leader traits the Warriors possessed. Or it could be how since Marcel had been taken all those years ago, Reiner would always try ro be the first one to step up.

He'd try to carry the most supplies, or accomplish tasks that would normally require more than one person. He'd make sure his fellow cadets caught up in running exercises without being caught by Commandment Shadis. He always tried to be a team player, in other words. And that way of acting made him many friends during his time training in the 104th, which is why his sudden betrayal had hurt them the most of all. And having to do that to them was one of the hardest things he's ever had to face, aside from breaking the wall, killing James sister, or having to continue the mission by attacking Trost.

But right now, that wasn't in his mind. He was home, even if eventually he'd have to leave it once again to finish his newer mission. He could enjoy the comforts of home while he was here, and he was damn sure going to. So as he finished gathering up the small amount of firewood he's been cutting comfortably for the past half hour into a bunch and stacked it along the side of his mother's, well _his_ _house as well_ , Reiner thought about what he should do today.

It's been 5 years after all, so Reiner wasn't sure about what he could do to enjoy the weather. Maybe he would check on Bertoldt and see if Ymir's driven him crazy yet, or if his older sister's teasing had done the trick. Or he could go see how Pieck was doing with the new generation of Warriors, but the downside would be possibly having to deal with Galliard. Reiner doesn't _hate_ him, but the tension between them since Marcel's death had gone from Eren and Jean levels to James and Eren levels. So maybe he would hold off on that for now.

Maybe he'd go hang out with James and Annie. He hasn't seen the two of them since yesterday's fight in the pit so maybe they would want to hang out as well. Plus maybe if Janes was in a good enough mood, he could try and rebuild his friendship with him to a healthy degree. It wouldn't be anywhere near what it used to be, there wasn't a snowball's chance in Hell of _that_. But it would make it easier for Reiner to cope with, and might just help James in the matter as well if there could be some true normalcy between them.

 _'It's about noon, maybe I should check em out. By the time I get there lunch will be over, so they might all be in a better mood'._ Reiner thought as he remembers the boy had a good appetite and a knack for grilling meat. That was another thing he missed about home, _the ever so delicious Thunder Lizard meat_. Hell just thinking about it made his mouth water, His mother hadn't made it last night because she had felt more tired than usual, but her onion soup was the perfect substitute. Damn how he missed her cooking all these years.

He popped his head inside the door but didn't see anyone, and went further in to let his mom know what he was planning on doing. "Hey ma, are you awake?" He called out, and heard her voice from down the hallway on the right of the kitchen.

"In here son, just cleaning up a bit for tomorrow. We're having a big dinner to celebrate you Warriors return, so your aunt and uncle and Gabi will be here." Katrina Braun walked out into view with a broom held in one hand and a head scarf lazily tied on. Reiner felt good as he saw peace and a smile on his mother's face, and asked curiously "So who else is coming? Just Annie and Bertoldt? Or all of the older Warriors?"

"Well I invited Pieck when I went shopping yesterday at the stalls, and you know that Galliard boy always seems to be dragged along by her. Bless her soul but the boy needs to lighten up some, he's always so tense when she takes him places. The Grice boy is filling in on perimeter watch since she's coming here, and I think gabi mentioned something about that Falco youngster taking extra training lessons. The Hoovers are a bit busy but their son is coming, along with that girl named after our goddess I presume. The Leonhardt's are both coming, and if I'm right then that other boy who returned with you will be as well" She finished and her smile lessened a bit when she saw her son's face drop somewhat at the mention of the Galliard boy and that other one who returned, _The_ _coordinate_ of all people.

"Something wrong dear?" She said concerned and saw her son then shame his head a bit, seemingly to clear it before taking up his usual smile. "No mom, it's nothing. Just hope we have enough space for everyone to sit." Taking note of their home which was relatively small than most in the village due to his family having ever only consisted of his mother and himself. Reiner didn't even want to think about his father because it just wasn't a subject he liked very much. He was brought from that dark thought when his mother replied to his concerns.

"Oh don't worry about that, Abraham and Tanya are bringing the large one for an outside dinner. I actually wanted to talk to you about that since I know Abraham is just one man and it's easily a four man to lift table. You remember." She said and Reiner did indeed remember sitting around that table from time to time when there was mild periods of peace in the village. In fact the last time he sat at it was the night before he left with the others for their mission. So if he had to get that table here, he would definitely need to speak with Pieck and see if she could carry it to his home if he, Abraham and maybe Bertoldt or James were to load it up. He didn't like to force manual labor on the girl since it's been a helluva while since they've talked, but they didn't call her the Cart Titan for nothing.

Maybe He'd be visiting the girl today after all, a stop on his way to or from Annie's house. He made the plan to ask and felt content with himself. "Sure do, I'll make sure it gets here and back in one piece. Speaking of which, I just wanted to ket tou know I'm going to be out for a bit today, going to see the Leonharts actually. See how she and James are doing, and talk with him about something if I can." He explained and his mother reacted to hearing the name of the coordinate and remembered meeting him two days ago when her son came home.

"Oh, that was the boy's name right? The Coordinate that you and the others brought back? What sort of a person is he?" Katrina asked, now curious as to what the outsider they returned with to save their village was like. Especially since he was invited to the dinner tomorrow night, she would like to know what to expect so she wouldn't accidentally offend the boy. Her son thought for a moment, trying to think about what to say in order to describe James.

Reiner was at a standstill mentally. _How should he describe James?_ If he had to narrow it down to 3 words, Reiner would choose to use: Reliable, vengeful, and finally dangerous. He's seen all these things knowing James from their very first encounter to the last time yesterday at the Pit. Reliable because he would kill in order to protect his family and innocent people. Vengeful because if you did manage to harm one of those people then he would do his very best to find and punish you, and wouldn't stop until he was satisfied. And finally Dangerous because James was an intelligent person, as well as physically fit and proficient in both his human and titan forms. There were very few who could match up to him in Reiner's opinion, and he fould count them all on one hand.

Ultimately Reiner answered his mother with what he knows of James from their time in training. That was a safer way to do so than telling _everything_ , and he can only hope Bertoldt has done the same with his family. "Well he's a smart guy for one, always likes to read but he isn't nerdy. He's likeable and very reliable once you get to know him, so we were pretty good friends during our time in their military." His mother caught on to that word "were", but decided against asking about it. "Is that so? Well if you were able to trust him then I'm sure he'll be a wonderful guest to have at the celebration."

Reiner smiled mechanically out of reflex but does have a sense of foreboding with James coming to his home and meeting his family. He doesn't fear that James will become violent or anything, but he _does_ fear that be might say something regarding the circumstances of his family's deaths. If he were to reveal those details, Reiner is sure that his mother would disown him and Annie's as well as Bert's might as well. It was the village's greatest taboo to kill another of their kind without very good reason, and James knows that because of Annie. Hopefully James would avoid the subject like he tried to when they all meet in camp those 3 years ago, and they would stay safe.

But if there's something Reiner has come to expect, is that whenever there is a chance for something to go wrong, _it will._

He shook his head absentmindedly and turned to head for the door. "Well I'm going to be off now, I'll be back before dark. See you soon Mom." "Alright Reiner, dont forget to speak with Pieck or the Hoover Boy!" His mother called out behind him and Reiner waved behind him without turning. He needed to clear his head, and knew the bright world outside would help to lighten his mood.

Reiner took his first steps outside and got a good deep breathe of fresh air into his lungs. The minor act did help immensely, and Reiner felt better as he looked around before making his way towards the main village. After a few minutes of walking more and more people populated the area around him, as Reiner found himself approaching the edge of the village market. Here produce and goods of many shapes and sizes could be bought. Cloth, spices, cleaning materials, fruits and vegetables along with different meats all helped keep the village running as best it could under such circumstances.

Reiner had been told that before the Beast Titan appeared, their people were able to travel and trade with other Shifter villages. That they would discover new things they could use or foods that were different from their own. Apparently alongside the Thunder Lizards he knew so well, other massive animals also lived and thrived far away in the world. It made him wonder about what it was like, beyond the walls and even further beyond his home village. Just how large was their world, and how little of it did they know?

Compared to how it used to be when he last saw it years ago, it was obvious that things had changed while they were gone. There weren't as many varieties of certain foods, nor of materials for clothing. That was due to there being no other villages remaining or any ventures out to establish new ones. That they were grasping their last straw of survival here. But as be saw shop owners squabble and children run around as their mothers or father's shopped, it served as a testament in Reiner's eyes that some things will never change. And with James being here and hopefully able to use his coordinate power, they could keep this peaceful scene going.

Reiner hummed to himself as he walked past many people going about their day, much like he was. A few recognized him and greeted him, some waving or bowing much to his surprise. Even some of the children gave him hugs, some of them only coming up to his knee or stomach at the tallest. Because of such unexpected treatment Reiner found himself smiling a great deal more than he has since the incident at Wall Rose.

As he finally waved goodbye to the last little boy being carried away by his chiding mother for nearly forcing Reiner to carry him on his shin, Reiner began to make the trek towards Annie's home. He knew her father built his house farther away from the rest for the sake of peace and quiet, but that didn't keep Reiner for groaning a bit at the thick foliage before him on either side of a well worn path. With no one to talk to since he hadn't seen Pieck or Bert or even _Ymir_ , He found the area pretty quiet for this time of day which was odd. _'Not even the birds chirping?'_ He noted in his mind as he passed under that tree Annie always used to relax in whenever he came to talk with her.

 _'It's not like we're under attack or something, Pieck and Porco would've already raised the alarm and I'd be helping to defend my home. Maybe a fox or something is nearby and scared them off.'_ Reiner concluded as he kept his pace steady and eventually began to see her father's cabin up ahead. Reiner also saw Torik out front in his chair on the porch, drinking something from a mug. Tea probably. The older man took Reiner's appearance with a little surprise, after all he hardly got any visitors unless it was one of the other warrior parents or the Pieck girl.

Torik enjoyed her company quite a bit, mainly because in her own way she reminded him of his absent daughter. He'd known her father back when he was in the Warrior Unit himself, and yet shortly after being relieved of priority status had perished to disease. But before that sad demise had come his wife had already been with child and given birth to the quadraped titan herself. Since then with Annie becoming one of the girl's friends, Torik sort of saw himself as a surrogate father figure for the man she never got to meet. That was another sad aspect the dark haired girl shared with his own daughter, having never met one of their parents.

But the girl still held her head high and seemingly oozed happiness and contentness. He saw her go out of her way to keep her comrades and friends safe, much like the deceased Galliard boy had when Torik last saw him. And the girl even went on to become a border scout which could be a very boring job thankfully, since it meant they weren't in danger of attack by the dammed Haired ones or that bastard known as the Beast Titan. That along with Pieck also helping to train the next generation earned herself great respect in Torik's eyes, and maybe he would go into town today and try to speak with her after her duties for the day.

Clearing his head Torik greeted the Braun boy before he reached the porch. "Good afternoon young Braun. I wasn't expecting a visitor, but your certainly welcome. How do you do?"

Reiner gave the man a thumbs up as he finally reached the steps and responded " Fairly good Mr. Leonhardt, just enjoying the day. I came to see how James and Annie were doing, and to invite you all to a celebration at my home tomorrow. It's for all the returned warriors and their families, so I decided to get the most I could out of coming here."

Torik was silent for a moment, his face showing something like disappointed reluctance, much to Reiner's brief confusion. But the man seemed to shrug it away as he answered "Sounds lovely. I'm sure they'll enjoy it as much as I will. Can't say I remember the last time we had a good feast around here." Reiner dismissed that odd look as a trick of the eye before asking where James and Annie were. He was surprised by Torik's response.

"I'm not sure myself. They left this morning saying something about fighting in their titan forms, but weren't headed to the Warrior Pit. So I'm not sure where they are, they did leave about an hour ago."

Hearing Torik not knowing where his daughter was considering how protective he was of her from what Reiner remembered surprised him even more. But then again Reiner knew that Annie and James liked their privacy as well, and he also recalled that indeed they've never fought one another inside of their titans. Realizing it could be a unique sight to see, Reiner turned and waved his thanks and farewell to the elder Leonardt.

"Well thanks for letting me know, I still did want to catch up with them so I'll be taking my leave now."

"Be careful Reiner, you know how my Annie can be when she wants to be alone. I'm not sure about Draekon but if you know him much better than I do, make your choices wisely." Torik warned good-naturedly, but had a semi hard undertone when he first mentioned Annie.

Reiner took it as a father's protective nature but agreed all the same. "Don't worry, I won't make a pest of myself. I'll be seeing you tomorrow Mr. Leonhardt." He said waving, wandering back the way he came.

About 2 in the afternoon Reiner had been searching for a sign of the shifter lovebirds around the more forested sections of the valley when he began to hear enormous crashing sounds nearby. The ground near him shook as he could make out massive footsteps maybe 50 meters or so away, which means he's found his targets. Reiner knew no one lived out this far from the village, so it could only be James and Annie messing around in their titans. He had to give it to them, they chose a pretty good spot for then to fight without causing a ruckus back in the village. The noise had died down some as he got closer, so he feared that he might've been found out or the pair were taking a break to heal or such. However as he got closer and closer, Reiner heard and _felt_ something around him.

It was something resembling a hum or some kind of purring, kind of like the one Reiner remembered James making a few times on their trip to Eldia. It had a soothing tone to it, and with how close he must've been to them he could feel the air and ground shaking ever so slightly as he continued forward. What made him pause before he could pass through a large cluster of broken and discarded trees however, was the _other_ sound he then began to hear.

This sound was a _feminine_ one, so it had to have been coming from Annie's titan. It sounding something like cooing, and upon hearing it Reiner stopped short in his tracks. The sound was also coming from close to the ground, so what the hell are they doing? A insane and bizarre thought crossed his mind but he immediately dismissed it because that was possible at all in their titan forms. Lacking _those_ features on their shells made shifters comfortable with transforming in front of others, otherwise it would get awkward _reaaaalll_ quick whenever someone wanted to fight.

 _'I should see what's going on past those trees. Just to be clear.'_ a voice in his head, curious said while another wanted to error on the side of caution telling him otherwise.

 _'No, I shouldn't. I should've just waited for them to go back home, why the hell did I act so insistent on seeing them fighting?'_

 _'It makes me want to see!'_

 _'It's none of our business! Leave them be!'_

Hearing the noises again Reiner was stuck between the two choices as his thoughts both agreed on one question _'What the hell are they doing over there?!'_ Deciding to let the dice roll, Reiner cautiously strode closer the the massive wall of broken tress and tries just peeking through a gap between two of the trunks. The sight before him made his brain stop as he tried to process just what he was seeing. Not loud enough to be heard by the pair before him, Reiner asked himself.

"What in the actual fuck?"

z

James and Annie have been enjoying a good fight for almost an hour now. After leaving her dad's house Annie transformed a dozen or so meters away and picked James up in her hand to carry him. A quick jog on her shoulder saved a lot of time and took them to a decent enough clearing surrounded by large trees. She let him down and gave him plenty of space to transform, after which they battled it out with much enthusiasm. Fighting as humans was one thing, and almost always ended in stalemates. _But as Titans_ , they could do so much more. Since they would regenerate faster and felt no actual pain, along with their unique abilities and features, they didn't have to hold back as much.

Annie lost two limbs in the first ten minutes of their fun, while Jame had his eyes gouged three times before a few ribs or kneecap were destroyed by crystalized kicks and punches. It was honestly the first and only time in his life he enjoyed getting his ass beat, because he would always try harder the next time. And so they had a set of mini matches where a crippling move would signify a victory, and at the moment Annie was winning as he once again lost his eyesight.

However something different happened this time as his legs were indeed swept from under him, but were both intact.

 **WARNING: ODD AND MATURE CONTENT AHEAD, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. (99.9% CHANCE YOU AIN'T NEVER READ THIS KIND OF STUFF BEFORE.)**

As his body hit the ground and his eyes began steaming to repair themselves, his other sense of touch told him that Annie just _straddled him._

If he had eyes right now, they'd be wide in shock at feeling her on top of him. It really sucked to be blind, even if it was temporary and about halfway finished. James felt Annie lean forward on his torso until their chests were almost touching, and then also felt her cross her arms near his neck as if she were using him to prop herself for a up close look at his face.

 _'Well this is certainly unexpected, but definitely welcome in my book.'_ James thought to himself as his eyes were nearly finished healing, and now he was anticipating every second what her face would be like when he opened them up. He could feel her breathe on his face, hear it even with how close she must be to his face. He could smell her, and for some reason James realized he's never actually tried to remember her scent aside from that day of the expedition. Finally his eyes stopped steaming, and his bright blue slit pupils opened to face her.

Annie's face was maybe a meter or two away from his own, and on her face he could definitely make out the same look she would give back in their training days when they wanted to work stress out by other means than hand to hand combat. Her icy blues were half lidded and seemed warmer than they have been in a while, and the false smile of her near skinless face was made useless by the genuine smile she wore looking at him. She made a warm cooing to him, a conversation no one other than a transformed shifter could understand.

 _"Well well, looks like you're pinned down. I guess I win another round."_

Even in her titan form James could still make out the flirty way she talked when she was enjoying herself. James let his own eyes ease into a similar way and rumbled to her, the sound seemingly coming from his chest and throat. " _Oh and what's_ _going to happen to me for losing_ _?"_ Her response was another pleased coo and taking one hand to trace under his chin with her finger.

" _I'm not sure, but maybe we can see what else we can do in these forms?"_

Well this was certainly a first for James, although he knows that neither of them have _those_ while transformed. However there are still other ways to enjoy themselves. James leaned his head forward and raised his arms to rub Annie's shoulders with his hands, answering her with another rumble from his chest. " _I guess we just have to find out."_ As he rubbed and squeezed her shoulders let Annie out a few sounds of her own out of pleasure and grinded her waist to his, despite being as bare as he was at the moment.

James began to immerse himself more so into his titan to really _feel_ as if it were his own hands running slowly up and down her sides to her hips. He told Annie to try the same thing, that she would feel enhanced touch and sensation doing so and luckily she was able to pull it off. Her pleased purrs and low but deep moans of satisfaction began to make James skin hot, and that was a funny thing to accomplish considering how warm the inside of a shifters nape could be. This was even hotter than that, and James decided to mix things up a little.

James was able to bring himself to a sitting position, with Annie still straddling his waist and now wrapping her arms loosely around his neck with her head dipped towards his. He held her steady and lightly rubbed his thumbs on her hip bones, and worked his way up her body, past her ribs until he reached her breasts. Although she had no nipples in this form, there was still the same sensations of nerve endings as if they were. James took full advantage of this and pinched his pointer fingers and thumbs together carefully in about the same way he would had those perky little stubs been there for his delight. Only this time he was pinched a small amount of her breast itself, and if her surprised sqeal was anything to go by, then she was most certainly enjoying this.

As much as she was enjoying his probing, Annie wasn't going to just let James do all the work. She had a few tricks of her own that she knew he'd be pleased to experience in this way. Creating a very thin and small layer of hardened crystal around her teeth and leaned forward to latch on to James collarbone. From experience and carefully keeping herself from piercing through to his flesh, Annie was able to get a surprised yelp from him. She could feel him shudder beneath her as she nipped away at the spot, running her hands and fingers through his now frantically twisting hair. She learned to pick up on his moods from his hair while they were traveling here, and from how fast it was moving he was experiencing pure spine tingling pleasure. She couldn't help but let loose another teasing coo to him as his hands faltered under her demonstrations. " _Is that all it takes to drive you crazy? What about my poor body James?"_

He pulled back so he could face her and Annie's heart fluttered faster as the half lidded slits and smirk he was sporting on his toothy maw. He let loose a smalk chuckle and purred toward her left ear as he leaned back closer. " _Oh? Am I not doing enough for my dear Queen? Guess I'll have to take it up a notch."_ Annie had about 4 seconds to process all that before James suddenly rolled them both over to where she was on her back. Now he was leaning over her.

And she loved it.

James was on all fours above her, with his right knee just between Annie's thighs. His face was close enough that they could touch noses if either of them leaned forward any further. She decided to play , as she knew James enjoyed this sort of thing along. She may not have been as girly as any of the others in the 104th, but Annie loved it when James treated her as more than just a woman. She now purred for him, giving a command she's said a few times since that night in the mountains in training.

" _Worship your Queen then, my King."_

 _"As you wish."_ was all she hear him coo to her before he dived down to her chest.

He opened his fearsome maw and extended his long tongue, letting it drape and slide between her breasts before curling around one and squeezing with amazing skill. Annie's human _and_ _titan_ eyes nearly rolled into the back of her head, and she could only imagine what fun they could have if his tongue were that long in his human form. But she could easily settle for this if it were the price for nothing below while encased. She chose to close them and writhed in pleasure below James as he went to town on her other breast now.

James trailed his tongue all around Annie's chest, twirling and flicking around both mounds of tasty flesh. This wasn't the carnivorous taste of flesh he was used to from killing. No this was something much, much more carnal and pleasurable to his taste buds. He could taste her through his titans tongue as if it were his own on her body, just like all the other times during brief moments before training or longer escapades by sneaking away in the night together. Her taste was unique, and ro hin it would remain that way because he has no intention of ever leaving her. She was his unless she chose to leave him which he knows she wouldn't do to him. And he would remain faithful to her until the very day he dies.

James paused for a moment during his intense tonguing when he heard a small snap of a branch, but he dismissed it as probably just an animal being curious. And with that he resumes making Annie squirm and writhe in ecstacy below him, before trying a new technique where even though she were bare, the nerve endings between her legs tood him otherwise.

 **ENDING OF LEMON(?) SAFE ZONE.** Reiner was back near the main village area, somewhat out of breathe and EXTREMELY embarrassed at what he was witness to. Of all the things he could've seen, _why the hell was it THAT?!_

After seeing and Annie's little "show" for about 15 seconds Reiner all but bolted away from the pair. He almost did himself in when turning to flee a small branch had nearly tripped him up and the warrior was forced to break it or be caught. And Reiner could only shudder in fear at what the both of them would have done had they found out he was there. Hell he still has to keep them from ever finding out that he saw _... that._ Which means Reiner could tell absolutely no one, not even Bertoldt who was his best friend. The boy's nervous and anxious personality would definitely reveal this secret, and to Reiner this is just as important as guarding his identity as the Armored Titan had once been. And although he was slightly sure James and Annie wouldn't _kill_ him, they would _definitely_ make use of his healing abilities with what they can and will do to him should they find out.

 _'Why the hell does this sort of thing happen to me?'_ Reiner asked himself as he tried to move on with his day. So much for sun and fun.

Well, at least someone was having _fun._ _._ ***** **.** ***** **.** ***** **.** **Well well that was DEFINITELY something else, most likely none of you were ready for that. Like I said its my first time writing a lemon, but I have read _many_ of them to get a rough idea of what to do. Plus I had a different concept to try and pull off here since Titans don't have the full assembly down there. Now onto other things.** ***** ***** *****

Authors note 2.

I bit off a little more than I can chew at the moment, but believe me I'm gonna chew until I'm finished and keep on going. Not only do I have my first and main SnK/AoT story Wings Of A Warrior to write for, I have another SnK one (Awakening), and this one which is harder to do than the rest because its almost fully au with manga elements. I have a Tokyo Ghoul story that's just getting fired up (One Rung Up The Food Chain), and I've recently just started a small story into the Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid series which I loved called Goddesses Need Love Too if y'all are interested. And that brings me to the second minor part of my absence.

As soon as I posted the last story I got two very hateful reviews from an anonymous guest whom I've grown a hatred for. Now while that ain't gonna stop me from writing it just pissed me right the hell off that I received those hateful remarks. And I know it's also the same person who leaves similar reviews to other stories like mine in the franchise just because most likely their a sad pathetic person who should learn to chill the fuck out and leave people alone just because their stuff isn't what you want. So I'm gonna keep on writing for ALL my stories, and I will never stop. Even if a story gets no updates for a long time, keep faith because it probably means I'm working on another story that needs some chapters. So rest assured I will keep writing for my stories no matter how long the delays.

I know this one will sound a bit silly, but also part of my absence is I've been watching many Anime series I never actually got to finish. And some of the endings kinda messed me up, either mental mind fucks (Neon Genesis Evangelion and End of Evangelion ESPECIALLY.) to Future Diary messing with my feels for the ending, even with Redial Ova making things sweeter. Also Deadman Wonderland, the ending was weak but overall I enjoyed it alot. Probably will read the Manga for that later on. Also have gotten into Overlord and LOVE it. Attack on Titan S3 has also been out and I'm excited that the current arc is coming to a close and one of my favorite ones is soon to be animated. Also My Hero Academia has been getting more intense and I always watch that on Saturdays after Cells at Work! which has been such a fun series and I'm sad that it's coming to a close soon. Also I've been watching Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and absolutely LOVE it, and have finally after hundreds of memes decided to get into JOJO'S. I regret nothing except having little time to write at times. So forgive me, I watch tons of anime and read waaaay more fanfiction. Anyone who's seen my profile or reviews on dozens of stories can attest to that lol. Some of you hopefully understand that one.

Final note, after some persuasion from a great friend and fellow writer, I've thought of also putting my stories on Archive Of Our Own, where my account has the same name as this one. I've already had success putting the first two chapters of my Tokyo Ghoul story on there, so slowly but surely I will be putting the rest of my stories on there as well including a possible remaster and updated version of this one. Also I've gotten Tumblr back where I'll also announce updates, same name as on here. It honestly makes some things easier to just use it for as long as I have. If any of you think or would like to see this story as well as my other works on there, just rell me in your reviews or a PM to me. I always respond to them, usually pretty damn fast.

Hope that cleared some things up, once again I'm VERY VERY sorry for the delay. Now onto more current events since part of the above it copied from another story's secondary author note which was the last story I updated before this. I've finished MANY series, and also gotten into a couple as well. Few of my favorites these seasons have been JoJo's part 5, Rising of the shield hero (I SOOOOOO WANNA WRITE A FIC FOR THIS!!!), the Promised Neverland, Dororo and Mob Psycho 100. Needless to say, this year has been pretty good so far, but we got One Punch S2 and soon Shinganshina arc from AoT S3 part 2!!!!! I myself am hyped beyond bekief for the soundtrack alone, I'm a bit of an audiophile (MAJOR) so i can only imagine the tracks tbeir going to use for all the great stuff we'll see finally animated. As for the manga stop now if you arent caught up completely...

YOU THOUGHT THIS WAS THE MANGA DISCUSSION, BUT IT WAS I DIO!!!!!!! JK Keep going!!!

I for one am very VERY surprised by a few things (almost everything) going on right now. I mean yeah Eren and Zeke agree to euthanize their own kind to save their race but i doubt whoke heartedly that Eren is actually on board with this. Eren has akways been freedom first, no matter the cost. Zeke's plan completely goes against EVERYTHING he's ever fought for, and if he were to do it, it would make evryones sacrifice be in vain, including his mother's. And zeke i know feel Soooooo good about hating once more. "saving" your race by making sure they can't breed is completely counter productive and exactly what the world wants. He wants self genocide so bad? he should've just eaten eren, gain the kings influence which makes him a depressed piled of shit that lets everyone die and that's that. I'm pretty sure Eren's just using zeke for the right time to take his blood. I sense a rumbling coming one way or the other. **Pieck** drawing a gun on Eren was unexpected but certainly the most interesting thing to me, only overshadowed by one thing...WAS THAT YMIR FUCKING FRITZ WHO MADE ZEKE A NEW BODY?! I mean I can see why sone would think she would bring him back so that he could do the body modifications to his race, but I think it's more so for Eren to have his tool in prime condition for whatever he's REALLY planning. Overall things have been pretty tense, and levi almost died (damn, not just yet eh?) I still don't like the guy, he's overrated beyond belief and overmarketed. call me biased, but seriously only Ackerman I ever liked was Kenny. Cause he was badass and a great baddie for his arc. **And the battle for Shinganshina once again! Eren using the Warhammer was AMAZING To me Reiner has a LOT of fucking nerve projecting himself over Eren like that. I am most curious about what Pieck will do in the future considering she know the truth about Marley. Zeke will most likely be able to down that marley airship by himself. And not only since zeke infected many with his blood, but once the _rest_ of paradise finds out marley invaded I forsee the Warriors losing** this fight and all dying. Now forsing one complaint about the manga...

WHERE THE HELL IS ANNIE ALREADY? WHEN WILL SHE AWAKEN?! LIKE GEEZ THIS STORY WILL BE FINSIHED BEFORE ISAYAMA EVER FREES HER!!!! Hell I bet one piece will be finished before she gets out of that fucking crystal. seriously author, get her out!!!!

Well I've ranted enough, its about time to finish this chapter. I'm SUPER THANKFUL for eveyone whose stuck with this story for this long, and I appreciate all the support and reviews along the way. I got nostalgic going back and seeing how things used to be when i wrote more than twice a week. I still can't believe I used to write everyday for all of my stories, but it's that kind of overdrive that sort've almost drove me to no longer write. but boys and girls, ladys and gents, titans and humans, JoJo's and vampires, I. Am. Back.


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